Love of a Cheetah
by Ryan Slicer
Summary: Three months after the failed wedding. Ranma was on a training journey and came back, now a woman appears on the Tendo's doorstep and is handing a bundle to Ranma. What could this bundle be?
1. Beginning

Ranma Saotome sat on the roof of the Tendo-ke, looking up at the heavens and contemplating which god or goddess would start tormenting him the next day. He sighed forlornly and lowered his gaze to the small bundle in his arms.

A cute nose poked out of the blanket keeping the child warm in the cool evening air, and along with that cute nose could be seen sparkling green eyes and blond hair with a few dark 'spots' scattered throughout the golden tresses. The child let out a yawn and wiggled closer against him, prompting Ranma to cover the child up a bit more snugly before carefully slipping inside the Tendo-ke to his room.

The guest room that Ranma and his father, Genma, normally shared was fairly spartan in its simplicity and the absence of anything to show that the room had been occupied for any real length of time. There were no photographs, no posters, no knick-knacks, and thanks to Kasumi's diligence, no dirty clothes strewn about, nothing at all to give the room a lived in feel. Aside from two futons, which were stored away in a small closet when not in use, and a low chest of drawers, which his father had all but claimed for himself, the only other items in the room were their backpacks, which Ranma was still living out of even after all this time. At least, that was the rooms normal appearance. Tonight, however, something new had been added; a baby's crib now sat in one corner of the room ready for use.

'Kasumi must have gotten this from somewhere. I'll have ta thank her properly in the morning,' he thought, walking to the crib and gently laying the baby within it, tucking her in comfortably beneath a light blanket. His countenance slowly changed, as he watched her sleep, from the sad visage that he had worn on the roof to a warmer expression as he began remembering the baby's parents.

_Flashback_

The woman sat across from him as he shivered and meowed during one of the treatments to cure him of the Neko-ken. Neko-Ranma scratched at the cage keeping him in and saw that he wasn't able to go anywhere. A few calm meows escaped Neko-Ranma's lips before he started curling up. It was nearing noon anyway so Neko-Ranma thought that a nap was in order. The woman frowned and sighed as she looked up at the man standing next to her, who looked like he was in deep concentration with his hand extended towards Ranma. She watched him for a time, before feeling a kick from within her belly; her right hand lovingly rubbed her enlarged abdomen with a gentle smile, knowing that it was time to feed herself and her baby.

"Dear, I'll be right back, the baby is hungry,' the woman said as she carefully stood up from the chair beside her husband.

The man nodded with a soft grunt to acknowledge his wife while he and two other mages continued their work to contain and help Ranma overcome the Neko-ken. After a few more hours of strenuous, if silent, effort, the man stopped and slumped down into the chair his wife had previously occupied. The other two mages dropped, as well, into chairs that had been provided for them. Ranma let out a yawn as he woke up from his proverbial "cat-nap".

"Is that it for today, Charon?" Ranma asked as he looked up at the man. He was getting used to being curled up or laying like a c-c-ca-... feline more and more. It wouldn't surprise him if, once he was free of the Neko-ken, he began to instinctively lay down like that someday.

"Yes, young Ranma," Charon responded wearily. Charon was a tall man, his skin tanned a warm brown from being in the sun most of his life on the plains of Africa, with dirty-blond hair that reached to his mid back. His hair was his most striking feature, as it was with everyone else in the village, being various shades of blond, but with dark patches, or 'spots', scattered throughout. He was slender, but muscular under the tank top and shorts he wore, like a runner. "Xeris will be in the hut if you're hungry, I'm sure she can fix something up for you." He got up and walked to Ranma, extending his hand out to him to help him up. Ranma grasped the offered hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet before dusting himself off and following Charon to his small family's hut.

Xeris also possessed a slender, yet muscular build, but at the moment she was also quite pregnant with her and Charon's first child. Xeris had gotten to know Ranma fairly well before he started the 'treatments' to remove his fear of cats and bring the Neko-ken under control. In that time, Ranma had explained and discussed with her many of the various problems that were causing such distress in his life. She had talked with him about his so-called 'friends' and they had discussed a few ideas to help with his fiancees, most of which, unfortunately, he'd had to turn down due to their consequences to his or their honor.

When they entered the small hut, where Charon and Xeris lived, Ranma was discussing with Charon his mage abilities versus martial arts prowess.

"So you're saying that a mage, with time, could stop even my Moko Takabisha?"

"Yes. Our fundamental principles are to help individuals who are in need of defending. Just like your code of Budo."

"Could anyone be a mage?" Ranma asked, displaying unusual interest in something that wasn't directly martial arts related.

"We could see if that's possible, young Ranma," Charon said, patting him on the shoulder as he led him towards the modest kitchen. Xeris stepped away from the stove to kiss her husband on the cheek before going back to her cooking.

"Dinner will be ready soon. And tonight, I'd like to hear more about those Tendo sisters you seem to like so much, Ranma," Xeris stated, grinning at the light blush that appeared on Ranma's face.

_End Flashback_

Ranma remembered that discussion, Xeris had tried to get him to admit to liking the two elder Tendo sisters more than he'd already claimed and to more than 'liking' one in particular, yet he didn't think that Nabiki had as much interest in him. He sighed, shaking his head and put aside his romantic problems for another day. He smiled warmly down at the baby, before turning towards his own futon.

The warm smiled faded from his expression, however, as thoughts of what the morning would bring intruded upon his thoughts. Neither Akane, nor their parents had been present when Xeris had suddenly appeared at the Dojo with the baby. Akane was spending the day with her friends, and wasn't expected back until late as they had some kind of 'girls only' party, or so Akane had claimed when their fathers had suggested that Ranma go with her, and his curse didn't count. And the Dimwitted Duo of Genma and Soun were spending the day and evening running up their bar tabs to even greater heights.

Ranma's expression saddened further as he recalled his friend's last moments...

_Flashback_

Ranma sighed, gazing up into the afternoon sky, as he lay upon the roof of the Tendo-ke. It wasn't as if he'd wanted to hang around with a bunch of girls, especially if he had to be a girl himself, but Akane... He let out another sigh. How their parents could possibly believe that he and Akane could ever have any kind of a successful relationship, when Akane always behaved as if his mere presence was the gravest of personal insults, was beyond his understanding.

"Coming!" He heard Kasumi call out from the kitchen in response to a suprisingly loud knocking from the front entrance, and for just a moment Ranma felt a strange chill flow through his body. Ranma knew that feeling well as it often appeared just before his life was about to become even more complicated than it already was, usually with another fight to occur shortly thereafter. Not sensing any hostility in the area, however, Ranma didn't react and just hoped that whatever it was would pass quickly leaving him undisturbed for once.

"Ranma! Come quick!" He heard Kasumi yell, her voice having a frightened and frantic tone. "Nabiki! Call Doctor Tofu to come here! NOW!"

Ranma wasted no time in jumping down from the roof and rushing towards the front of the house. If the normally serene Kasumi was frantically yelling, then something truly drastic was occurring and speed was of the utmost importance. Skidding around the corner of the house, Ranma paused in shock at the sight before him. Xeris, in her hybrid form, was slumped down in the entranceway, her clothing torn, charred and blood-soaked, with an ashen Kasumi kneeling beside her and holding her folded apron against Xeris' side as a makeshift pressure-bandage.

"Xeris!" he cried out, rushing to kneel beside her. "What happened?" he asked, then repeated his question, in English, when she didn't immediately respond.

While staying at her village, Ranma had learned of the lycanthropes' remarkable healing abilities, being able to fully recover from injuries that would easily kill a human being, even regrowing severed limbs, in a remarkably short period of time. Injuries given them by their own kind, however, healed at a more normal 'human' rate, while magical injury or wounds inflicted by silver... Seeing the charred flesh about several of her still bleeding wounds, Ranma assumed that she had been attacked by someone using a magical or silver weapon. Which meant that her injuries were truly life-threatening.

"Ranma..." Xeris breathed out, turning pain-filled eyes to him, before pressing a blanket-wrapped bundle into his arms. A bundle which Ranma quickly discovered to be a newborn baby. "We were... attacked by the beasts..." Xeris gasped out, grimacing in pain. "The village was destroyed..."

"Doctor Tofu's on his way, Kasumi," Nabiki said as she ran up to them, skidding to a halt and staring at the strange cat-woman on their doorstep.

Xeris turned her head to look at Nabiki, then Kasumi, before a small smile formed on her face. "They are both just as beautiful... as you said they were..." Xeris said, causing one of Nabiki's eyebrows to arch up. Majoring in Business, Nabiki had naturally taken her studies of the English language seriously and was quite proficient, so she had no difficulty in understanding what Xeris had said.

Ranma tried not to blush as he felt Nabiki's curious gaze swing in his direction, and he self-consciously shifted the baby in his arms to a more comfortable position. Not unexpectedly, this resulted in the baby making a few gurgling noises as it was shifted about, which in turn caused Nabiki to want a better look at what he held. This time Ranma couldn't suppress the flush that rose on his cheeks as Nabiki pressed herself against his back to peer over his shoulder at the baby, only to find wide, inquisitive, emerald-green eyes peering back up at her from beneath a halo of blond hair.

Xeris saw what was happening and smiled up at Ranma, her hand reaching up to touch his face lightly before lowering to caress the face of her child. "Please... take care of... our young one... Ranma..." she breathed out with difficulty, blood appearing on her lips, as her arm fell to her side. Her eyes, locked onto the face of her child, dimmed as her heartbeat slowly came to a stop. She never heard the promise that Ranma made to her, as Dr. Tofu finally ran through the gates of the compound and up to them.

Despite Tofu's best efforts, and remarkable control of himself in Kasumi's presence, Xeris' injuries were simply too numerous and severe for him to revive her. Reluctantly, he ceased his efforts after a few minutes and sadly pronounced her departure from the world of the living. He readily agreed to see to the disposal of Xeris' remains, with some help from Nabiki, and they departed soon after with Xeris' body to his clinic to make the arrangements for a small, private, funeral.

It was only a few moments after Nabiki's return to the house that Ranma had had some yen slapped into his palm, was shoved out the door with the baby, and given instructions to buy the 'necessities' for said baby. In his confused and depressed state over recent events, Ranma hadn't even thought of questioning Nabiki's unusual generosity, he'd simply begun walking towards the marketplace.

It was the sudden giggling of a couple girls he'd walked past that caused Ranma to fully realize what he was carrying, where he was going and why, and that he didn't have the foggiest notion of what the 'necessities' for a baby were. Naturally, this caused him to stop dead in his tracks while he tried to figure out what he was going to do.

"Well, well, well, so you finally sired a child of your own, eh Saotome-san?" someone asked with obvious good humor. "Who was the lucky girl to finally catch you?"

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Ranma looked about and found Mr. Tanaka leaning over the short wall about his house watching him with a smile. Ranma had only met the man a few times, usually when he came by the Tendo-ke to discuss some Council business with Mr. Tendo, but he'd always seemed a fairly approachable man and, if Ranma remembered correctly, the father of several children himself. Of course, he wasn't the least bit surprised that Mr. Tanaka was aware of his 'fiancee' problems, or the lengths to which said fiancees would go to get him... they were practically an urban legend in Nerima.

"Um... Not really, Tanaka-san," Ranma responded, walking over to him. "I'm not the baby's father." Then, seeing the mischievous glint in Mr. Tanaka's eyes, he quickly added with a reproachful glare, "And I'm not her mother, either."

Mr. Tanaka held his hands up, placatingly, but still smirked humorously. Leaning further over the wall, Mr. Tanaka took a closer look at the baby in Ranma's arms, noting the unusually 'spotted' blond hair and the light emerald-green eyes peering back at him. "She's going to be a real cutie when she's older. So, how'd you come to be carrying a baby around, Saotome-san? This isn't one of your father's 'training' ideas, is it?"

"No!" Ranma immediately blurted. "No, this hasn't got anything to do with Pop." While it wasn't all that widespread, yet, some stories of what Genma had put Ranma through in the name of martial arts 'training' had managed to circulate around the neighborhood and were frowned upon. Needless to say, anything involving Genma was viewed with suspicion by those that had met the man and heard the stories.

Haltingly, Ranma told Mr. Tanaka about his friendship with Xeris, her husband, and their recent deaths. Of course, he editted out a lot of things in his story, such as their being werecheetahs and exactly how they'd passed away, but that it had been Xeris' dying wish that he raise their daughter for them. Reluctantly, as he was never one to admit a failing in anything, Ranma also admitted that he didn't have the slightest clue as to how to care for a baby.

"Well now, caring for and raising a child is a great responsibility," Mr. Tanaka said seriously. "One I would hope that you take far more seriously than your own father has. That you can admit that you don't know what to do and need help, is a very good start. And the best advice I can give you from the start is, don't even try to do everything on your own! If you need help or advice, don't hesitate to ask for it! A parent's pride in raising a child on their own, without the help of others, is no comfort at all, for parent or child, if that child gets in trouble, falls ill or, at the very worst, dies, because the parent's pride wouldn't allow them to seek aide or advice when it was needed."

Ranma had been looking at the baby as Mr. Tanaka spoke, listening to his words and realizing just how great his new responsibility truly was. In his arms was a life, a life that would forever more be effected by the decisions 'he' would be making for her for years to come. Just as he, himself, had been, and still was, effected by his own parents decisions.

With that final thought, about how his own life had been effected by the decisions, good or ill, of his own parents, Ranma made his very first decision as the parent of his own child.

"I would appreciate any help or advice you'd be willing to share with me, Tanaka-san."

_End Flashback_

Ranma remembered much of his discussion with Mr. Tanaka, about how to care for and nurture a young baby. It had been a very humbling experience, especially the lesson on how to change a baby's diaper and given him a deeper respect for parents everywhere. One needed a cast-iron stomach and nerves of steel to deal with those biological disasters. Good thing Akane's cooking had already hardened him to such things to some extent, or he was sure he would have fainted otherwise and embarrassed himself.

He'd never known that there was so much to learn and understand about taking care of a new life, and he'd decided that he would learn as much as he could so he could be the best parent possible for his new daughter. He'd already resolved not to make the same mistakes his own parents had made with him. No, his daughter wouldn't have shackles placed upon her from the very beginning. No arranged marriages. No seppuku pledges. Not even the Art, if it wasn't what she wanted. Although, Ranma hoped that she would want to learn the last.

No, Ranma had decided. As much as possible, Ranma intended for his new daughter to have as much freedom as he could possibly give her as a parent. Life itself would shackle her enough without his adding to it.

With those thoughts, Ranma allowed himself to fall into a light sleep, unlike his usual heavy slumber, in case the baby should awaken and need him for any reason.

-X-X-X-

The next day came early for Ranma as he was awakened by the baby's crying. Groggily he rose and stumbled over to the crib, trying to remember a bit of what Mr. Tanaka had told him about why babies cried; needing a diaper changed, wanting to be fed or to take a nap. As it turned out, she needed changing.

"I'm glad Mr. Tanaka had some extra diapers," Ranma quietly said to himself. He grabbed one from the knapsack, along with some wipes, also given to him by Mr. Tanaka, and followed the instructions to change a diaper that he was shown. After a few minutes the baby calmed down, but the damage had already been done.

Just outside the room, a dark-haired girl had stormed to the door having heard the unknown sound coming from her fiance's room at the earliest time in the morning. She harshly slammed the door to the room open and glared at the raven-haired boy inside who was holding a blond baby.

"And just what is making all that noise?" Akane yelled, her voice resounding throughout house, waking up Kasumi and Nabiki in the process.

Ranma winced at the volume of Akane's voice, which easily rivaled any noise that the baby had been making previously, then winced again as Akane's yelling caused the baby to start crying again. "Would you keep it down, you tomboy," he said in hushed tones, as he tried to calm the child. The baby, not Akane.

"You... You JERK!" Akane snarled, cocking her arm back in preparation to deliver another lesson to her unwanted fiance in how to show her the proper respect she felt she deserved, when a hand suddenly caught her arm and another came down firmly on her shoulder restraining her.

"No, Akane," Kasumi firmly stated, shaking her head when Akane spun to face her. "You might hurt the baby."

"Who wouldn't be crying again, if you hadn't frightened her after Ranma calmed her down the first time," Nabiki muttered sleepily as she slipped past her sisters and into the room.

"What's Ranma doing with a baby in his room in the first place?" Akane demanded, loudly, and gritting her teeth at the infant's incessant cry. "And would someone SHUT THE DAMN THING UP ALREADY!"

"Well yelling about it isn't going to help any, Akane," Nabiki stated, motioning for Ranma to hand the baby to her. If Nabiki had been more fully awake, she would have known better than to say what she did next. "And where else would he keep his newborn daughter? The dojo?"

"WHAT?" Akane screamed, setting off renewed wailing from the frightened child as Ranma reluctantly passed her to Nabiki who proceeded to rock and softly croon at the baby trying to calm her. Akane, meanwhile, was putting two and two together and, as usual, coming up with a sum somewhere in the triple digits. "I knew it! I knew he was messing around behind my back! So, the dishonorable perverted freak knocked up some gaijin whore and she dumped their bastard child on him, huh? Serves him right! As far as I'm concerned, our engagement never happened! The sooner he and his bastard child are out of my house the better!" And with that, Akane spun about and stomped back to her room.

For his own part, Ranma could only stare in shock after Akane. Sure, Akane had accused him of things he hadn't done before, but never with the amount of venom and pure hatred as she'd displayed just now. And based on nothing more than a slip of Nabiki's tongue which, while true in one respect, wasn't true in another, and her own over-active imagination. A gentle shaking of his shoulder brought him out of his shock and he turned to face Nabiki who continued to gently rock the baby in one arm.

"Ranma, you should go downstairs and prepare some of that baby formula you got yesterday," Nabiki said, as the baby began to calm down. "She's going to be hungry and if she isn't fed soon, she'll start crying again."

"Okay, Nabiki," he said, and reached for the baby. He was surprised when Nabiki backed away, out of his reach.

"Just go fix her breakfast, Ranma," Nabiki instructed. "I'll keep her occupied until it's ready. It'll be faster that way, and quieter."

Ranma eyed her and the baby a little worriedly, expecting her to ask for payment of some kind at any moment. When no such request made itself known, however, he quietly followed Kasumi out of the guest room and down to the kitchen.

-X-X-X-

With Kasumi's help, and by following the directions included on the package of baby formula to the letter, Ranma soon had the baby-bottle the Tanaka's had given him sterilized, filled and warmed. Stepping back out of the kitchen with the filled bottle, and once again stepping over the passed-out-drunk duo of Genma and Soun, who were sleeping it off in the doorway, Ranma found Nabiki sitting at the table playing with the baby.

When he reached for the baby, however, Nabiki again stopped him. Then taking the bottle of formula from him, she shook a little of it out onto her wrist and instructed him to do the same and to remember how it felt, so he could always have it at the correct temperature. Unfortunately, when Nabiki attempted to get the baby to accept the bottle, the baby refused.

"Isn't she hungry?" Ranma asked. "It's got to have been a long time since she last ate."

"Oh, she's hungry alright," Nabiki grumped, scowling. "Unfortunately, I'd guess she's been breast-fed up till now, and that presents a bit of a problem."

"So... what are we going to do?" Ranma asked worriedly, as the baby was obviously growing more irritable.

Nabiki seemed to think for a bit, but Ranma was getting the impression that she already had an answer to the problem. She was just weighing the pros and cons of applying it. He saw her look back at their unconscious fathers, before turning her gaze onto him, speculatively, which almost caused him to place a hand over his wallet. Then she reached out to pick up a glass of water from the table, turned, and dumped it over his head.

"Whatcha do that for?" Ranma-chan asked irritably.

"Because I'll only do this in front of another girl," Nabiki said, reaching up and beginning to undo the buttons of her blouse, "or my husband, once I'm married. And don't you dare turn away, or close your eyes, Saotome! You pay attention! Besides, I'm not going to be around all of the time, and you'll probably have to do this yourself for a while, just to get her to eat. And if you tell anyone about this..."

Ranma-chan could only watch, wide-eyed, as Nabiki opened up her blouse and, blushing furiously, free one of her breasts from her bra. Picking up the bottle of formula she applied some of the liquid to her nipple before lifting the baby up to suckle at her breast. The baby seemed to calm immediately, and after a few more applications of the formula to her nipple and gentle coaxing with the bottle, the baby was soon nursing away at the bottle contentedly. At which point, Nabiki gently passed the baby over to Ranma-chan.

"Remember, Saotome," Nabiki said with a growl of warning as she rose from the table, "not a word about this to anyone, or else!" With that parting shot Nabiki made her way quickly into the kitchen, just as Kasumi was coming out with some tea.

"Oh my!" Kasumi said, noting Nabiki's rather 'exposed' state of undress, before turning to face Ranma-chan. "Did something happen?"

"Um... the baby wouldn't accept the bottle," Ranma-chan said, her own face rather flushed with embarrassment. Then looked down at the contentedly nursing baby. "Well, she wouldn't accept it right off, anyway. Nabiki had to... umm..."

"Oh, she was breast-fed then," Kasumi said, as if that explained everything and all was right with the world once again. "I've often heard from other mothers about how difficult it can be to get their babies to accept a bottle instead of their own mother's breast."

"How come Nabiki knows so much about taking care of babies?" Ranma-chan asked, whispering. "I would never have thought of her as... well... the motherly type."

"Oh, when we were younger Nabiki used to do a lot of babysitting for the neighborhood," Kasumi said. "She was very popular among the new mothers, especially, who all said she was a natural around newborns and young children. I don't know why she stopped, though. She was always so happy when she was surrounded by young children."

"Have you done any babysitting, Kasumi?" Ranma-chan asked, absorbing this new information about the 'Ice Queen of Nerima'.

"Oh my, no," Kasumi answered. "I never really had the time, what with taking care of the house, Father and my sisters. I'm afraid that all I know about taking care of very young children I learned from reading books I borrowed from Doctor Tofu and what I've been told by the mothers I meet in the marketplace."

Ranma-chan absorbed that information as well, but thought she detected a definite note of longing in the older girl's voice. Kasumi may not have the experience of caring for a young child, but she certainly seemed to want such an opportunity... probably with a young child, or two, of her own, most likely.

"Do you know the baby's name, Ranma?" Kasumi suddenly asked.

Ranma-chan just stared at her mutely for a moment, before dropping her gaze to the baby. With everything that been happening, she had never even thought of what the baby's name might have been. Try as she might, she couldn't remember hearing Charon or Xeris ever discussing what their child would be called once it was born, and she hadn't even thought to ask as Xeris lay dying. "I... I left their village before she was born..." she stated truthfully.

"How about Machiko, then?" Kasumi suggested, as Nabiki rejoined them at the table her clothing once more in proper order.

"She is fortunate, because of her mother..." Nabiki responded.

"Yes. That's true," Ranma-chan agreed.

"Nyoko?" Kasumi suggested this time. "Her eyes do look like little gems when they're open."

"Emerald-like, too," Ranma-chan agreed, remembering that most of the werecheetahs in the village had had different shades of green, gold, or brown in their eyes.

"So, Midori Nyoko?" Nabiki asked, reaching over to lightly run a finger up and down the baby's arm. Noticing that she had stopping nursing on the bottle, Nabiki took it and set it aside before producing a small towel from seemingly nowhere, which she draped over Ranma-chan's shoulder.

Ranma-chan gave the name some thought before voicing her opinion on it, while Nabiki guided her and the baby thru the time honored practice of 'burping'. "Okay, we have her adopted under Midori Nyoko Saotome, and use Nyoko," she said, grinning as the newly dubbed 'Nyoko' let out a loud burp in seeming agreement.

Nabiki nodded as she thought of what would be needed for Ranma to have Nyoko legally adopted. "Ranma, we only have a couple more hours before school starts," she said as got up from the table, "but I really think you should skip school today and spend the time getting to know Nyoko better."

"I'm not sure that would be such a good idea, Nabiki," Ranma-chan said, looking towards their fathers. "Not that I want to go to school or nothin'."

"So go out, and take Nyoko with you."

"Where would we go?" Ranma-chan asked, not having a clue as to what one did with a baby. Then she blanched at the positively evil smirk that Nabiki turned her way.

"Why, where every other new mother takes their babies... to the park, of course," Nabiki responded, before turning about and heading for the furo. She wouldn't normally be up this early, but since she was, she fully intended to take full advantage of the fact by indulging in a good long soak.

-X-X-X-

Breakfast was, surprisingly, a quiet affair that morning. The fathers were still out cold, fortunately, although Kasumi had taken the time to lay some blankets over them. And Akane... well, Akane seemed to have cooled down considerably from her initial tantrum earlier that morning. This was not to say that she wasn't sending Ranma murderous glares, but her gaze would soften considerably when it fell upon Nyoko, gaining an almost wistful look. Even so, Akane finished her meal in record time before rushing out the door to school, certain to be among the first students to arrive at Furinkan High School that day.

Kasumi and Nabiki watched their younger sister rush off to school, without even sparing a glance in Ranma's direction, and sighed. "Later, Sis," Nabiki said as she rose from the table to retrieve her schoolbag. "Ranma, try to stay in girl-form today while you're out, okay."

"Do I hav' ta?" Ranma lightly whined, not that he really cared all that much anymore, but he had to maintain appearances after all.

"Well, it's your choice really, but I should warn you that few things are more attractive to desperate single girls looking for a husband than a single father with a baby," Nabiki said, smirking humorously. "If you think you've got 'girl troubles' now..."

"Ha ha. Very funny, Nabiki," Ranma responded, shifting Nyoko into a more comfortable position in his arms as he followed Nabiki outside.

"Here," Nabiki suddenly said, turning to grab his free hand and slap something into it. Looking at it, Ranma was surprised to see that she'd handed him a fair amount of money.

"What's this for?" he asked.

"I'm lending this to you, so you can get some stuff for Nyoko, okay?" She glared at him, seemingly daring him to question her decision. "Don't worry, it's not charity. You will be paying me back, later. If you don't know what to get, ask some of the neighbors that have children." And with that said, she turned and headed of to the subway station, hoping she wouldn't be groped too much on her way to Todai.

Ranma watched her walk away until she rounded a corner, then slowly turned about and walked back inside the house, absently pocketing the money she'd given him in the process. It would be best to pretend that the money didn't even exist until he needed it, or his good-for-nothing father would surely attempt to take it to buy more sake or food.

Returning to the table in the living room, he was pleasantly surprised to see that Kasumi had left out the tea things for him, as she began her daily routine of household chores. Pouring himself a cup of tea, after comfortably settling Nyoko in his lap, he contemplated on what he should do now. Normally, when he wasn't attending school, he'd spend the day training in the dojo, or head out to see about scamming some 'free eats' in his girl-form. A gurgling coo from his lap pretty much reminded him that those days were over and gone. It wouldn't do to set a bad example for his daughter, after all. Well, training all day in the dojo, at least, as he didn't really think it would hurt anything if he taught his daughter the fine art of scamming free eats. Needless to say, a decade of near-starvation with his father had left a lasting mark upon him where food was concerned.

Still, Ranma had the need to be doing something, to be in motion. Sure, he could sit around and vegetate with the best of them, and he was more than willing to do so after a period of high activity, but... Things had been fairly quiet and laid back recently, yesterday being a notable exception, so Ranma was feeling more than a little antsy to get out and about, to do something, anything other than just sitting. And yet, he now had to consider Nyoko...

The Tanakas had been quite adamant about not leaving Nyoko alone for at least the first few years, and had fallen to the floor laughing hysterically when he'd innocently asked just how much trouble a baby could get into if left alone for a bit. Their gasping response of "You'll learn, poor boy, you'll learn," had not been all that reassuring. Still, their response to his question had been sufficient warning that he was more than a little hesitant to have Nyoko out of his sight for a while yet. But he couldn't stay with her constantly, or carry her everywhere he went, it just wasn't possible. Sure, he could pull the crib down to the dojo when he wanted to train, but then he'd have to haul it back upstairs again at night, and what about when he went out, not to mention school?

Ranma sighed as the questions whirled around inside his head. There was no question that he needed help, and he had already vowed that he would be a 'good' parent for Nyoko. It was time to ask the experts... just as Nabiki had suggested.

"Kasumi, I'll be goin' out for a bit," he announced, rising from the table and adjusting Nyoko in his arms.

Kasumi paused in her cleaning and was about to say something, when she suddenly remembered a conversation she'd had with Nabiki earlier that morning. "Just a moment, Ranma-kun," she said and ducked into her kitchen. She emerged a few moments later with a small knapsack into which he could see her placing a full bottle of prepared baby formula. "Take this, Ranma-kun. Nabiki said that babies get hungry a lot and may need diaper changes at any time. She told me to tell you, where the baby goes the knapsack goes, and to be sure it's always fully stocked with everything you might need for the baby."

"Thanks, Kasumi," Ranma nodded, taking the knapsack and slinging it onto one shoulder. Nabiki hadn't steered him wrong yet on caring for Nyoko, so he wasn't going to argue. He had just turned to head for the front door when he suddenly felt cold water being poured onto the arm he wasn't using to hold Nyoko, activating his curse and returning him to being a short, buxom, redheaded girl. "Now what did ya do that for, Kasumi?"

"Nabiki wasn't joking about girls flocking to you, Ranma-chan, if they see you as an unmarried father with a baby. Having a lot of friends is nice, but let's not overdo it, shall we?" Kasumi said with a humorous, if unusal for her, smirk on her face, as she dried Ranma-chan's arm off before shooing her off and out the door. "And don't forget to see Doctor Tofu to make sure Nyoko is in good health."

Ranma-chan nodded and waved as she stepped through the gate and into the street. Turning towards the marketplace once again, she headed off for the Tanaka residence, hopeful that they could help her with the many new questions she'd come up with since their last meeting. Strangely, though, she had an odd feeling of impending doom, but for the life of her she couldn't figure out what might be causing it.

-X-X-X-

Tatewaki Kuno, the Thunderous Roar of Todai, stood before the gates of Furinkan High School awaiting his early-morning battle with the vile sorceror, Ranma Saotome. In the depths of his very soul he knew that today was the day that he would finally overcome the sorceror's dark magicks and free his two loves from the foul miscreant's unholy grasp... That, or Sasuke had failed in his duties to his master and his twisted sister, Kodachi, had managed to slip something into his breakfast again.

Stoicly he stood, standing proud and ready to face any challenge the gods may choose to send against him, as he gazed down the street in the direction from whence his loves oft appeared. And in time, his patience was rewarded with the appearance of none other than his fierce tigress, Akane Tendo. Alone. Oh how his heart sang that today may well be the very day that his spirited Pigtailed Girl or Akane Tendo would swoon in his arms that he might shower them with his love.

"Hark," he started, noting how his love's face twisted in pain as she struggled to break the sorcerous spells the vile cur had placed upon her to keep her from her proper place at his side, "Akane Tendo, to whence has the foul sorceror Saotome fled that you should appear before me, unescorted and alone? Is his hold upon you weakening, my love? Are his powers at last weakening before my holy might? Quickly, my love, tell me where he hides that I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Thunderous Roar of Todai, may hunt him down as the lowly dog he is, and vanquish him back to the dark pits that spawned him!"

Akane, already in an unusually foul mood that morning, was ready to vent her anger and frustrations on the first target of opportunity. Normally, this would have been Ranma himself, as he was invariably the cause, directly or otherwise, but Kasumi, without saying a word, had made it clear that she wouldn't be allowed to 'vent' on Ranma as long as the baby was anywhere about... and, of course, the coward had kept the baby around him at all times. Kuno, a long time irritant in her life, was another matter entirely. Akane's face twisted into a grimace of anger, frustration, and sadistic glee as Kuno ranted. She'd needed something, or someone, to vent on... and the Kami had provided.

"Ranma?" she sneered, her knuckles popping as her fists clenched even tighter. "Why, Ranma's at the Dojo, of course... with the 'bastard' child he's fathered with some GAIJIN WHORE!" And with those words, Akane exploded into action and... vented, drawing out the punishment she wanted to inflict. There would be no escape into LEO for Kuno this morning, Akane wanted to vent her frustrations and by the Kami she was going to vent them.

Numerous gasps were heard among the students about the gate and several began scrabbling into their schoolbags, pulling out markers they'd gotten from Nabiki or her assistants. Cries of elation and sorrow began to sweep through the throng as memories were refreshed as to bets made. Inside the school building, several girls from the senior class had witnessed and heard what had just occurred, Akane having made no effort to keep her voice down, and after exchanging some silent looks, one of them pulled out a cellphone and began dialing.

"I... fight... on..." Kuno gasped out, before a final blow from Akane sent him crashing into the wall surrounding the school and into blessed unconsciousness. Akane sighed and dusted her hands off, before retrieving her schoolbag and heading onto the school grounds, her head held high and a small grin of satisfaction on her face. She wouldn't be smiling for long, however, as the events that she had set into motion that morning, with her ill-thought-out accusations, would come to haunt her for years to come.

Once everyone had entered the school grounds, Sasuke, the Kuno family ninja retainer, emerged from beneath a slab of concrete in the sidewalk. Shaking his head sadly as he walked over to his 'master', he began the laborious task of getting Kuno back to the mansion and patched up. If things went well, Sasuke should be able to deliver his master at the university just as classes were about to start. It hadn't been easy for Sasuke to get his master that 'Kendo Scholarship', and if he was late for class too often or, as was more often the case, missed his classes entirely, the scholarship would be withdrawn for the next semester.

-X-X-X-

'Akane, you idiot!' Nabiki mentally growled as she slumped onto her desk. It was one thing for her little sister to make such unfounded accusations about Ranma and his daughter in the privacy of their home, quite another to yell them to the public at large. Fortunately, one of her proteges at Furinkan High had called her to confirm or deny Akane's accusations, as there had been quite a number of wagers placed on when Ranma would 'father' a child... and with whom. Fortunately for Nabiki's organization, 'adopting' a child was not considered the same as actually 'fathering' a child. So, none of the markers had to be paid off, since Ranma had yet to actually father a child of his own. Still, the potential damage to Ranma's honor, not to mention to the Tendo Clan when it became clear that the accusations had been false, was enormous.

Nabiki just hoped that Ranma would be okay for the day without her assistance. A small, hidden smile appeared on her downturned face at the thought Ranma being a father already. And Nyoko was such a cute little baby, too.

Her smile slipped a bit as her thoughts went back to just shortly after the failed wedding attempt, about a week before Ranma had disappeared on a three-month long 'training trip'. He'd been more than a little upset with her, 'accidentally' allowing his and Akane's rivals and suitors to know about the planned wedding. Her excuse of not wanting to see either of them forced into a loveless marriage, and that they were still not ready yet for marriage, had been met with the surprising response of Ranma agreeing her. But, as he'd continued, that was still no excuse for what she had done, as a simple 'no' from him at the appropriate time would have stopped the whole thing. Their parents' wishes otherwise, be damned.

It had also been during that week, and after many more private conversations with Ranma, that she had come to the conclusion that he was far more intelligent than anyone, including her, had given him credit for. Oh, he was no genius or anything, at least not when it came to anything other than martial arts, but... he'd had a far better understanding of people and their motivations than would be considered common. She wasn't entirely certain that her own ability to understand what motivated people to behave in certain ways was superior. Still, her opinion of Ranma had been altered during that week, and more than once she'd found herself regretting having passed him off to her little sister.

"Nabiki Tendo," the voice of Kuno drawled as he dropped into the seat beside her, "I've heard words from my fierce tigress that the vile cur, Saotome, has begat a child upon a gaijin woman of ill-repute. Is this true?"

Nabiki lifted her head to look at him, taking note of the fresh bandages and numerous bruises he was sporting this morning. 'Looks like Akane took her time this morning,' she thought, 'rather than just simply punting him into Lower Earth Orbit.'

"Well, yes, Ranma is a father now, but--" Nabiki stopped talking as she realized that she was addressing an empty chair. Spinning to face the classroom exit, she was just in time to see the door just beginning to close after Kuno had made his hasty exit. 'Oh shit! I've got to warn Ranma!' she thought, desperately grabbing for the cellphone in her bag to call the Dojo, hoping Ranma hadn't left the house yet. 'Why the hell can't any of these idiots ever get all the facts before jumping to conclusions?'

-X-X-X-

Ranma-chan stepped out of yet another 'baby store' with Mrs. Tanaka and a few of her friends, all of whom were mothers in their own right or soon would be. At the moment, she was sporting an atomic blush at some of the quite frank discussions that had taken place with and around her. Not all of the women surrounding her were aware that she was really a boy cursed to often be a girl, so some of the topics that had arisen had been concerning things that they would normally never even mention in the presence of a guy... At least, she hoped they wouldn't. Mrs. Tanaka, who knew her real gender, certainly hadn't attempted to dissuade her friends from talking about anything they wanted to. But did they really have to talk about the best positions to have sex with their husbands while pregnant, or how soon they could have sex again after having their babies? And some of the discussions concerning what changes and problems they could expect during their pregnancies just made Ranma-chan shudder in horror.

Before her, Ranma-chan now pushed a stroller she'd just purchased, in which Nyoko was sleeping comfortably after a mid-morning feeding and diaper change. That had been a novel experience, to say the least. As before, Nyoko had initially refused the bottle, and Ranma-chan had been forced to duplicate Nabiki's earlier actions... A shiver passed through her body at the memory of Nyoko suckling at her breast. It hadn't felt bad, really, just... weird. And somehow... pleasant. Still, she'd feel a lot better once Nyoko stopped refusing the bottle. She'd been thankful that Mrs. Tanaka hadn't gone into the virtues of breast-feeding as opposed to the bottle, as some of her friends had, but chose instead to relate some of her more humorous memories of trying to feed her own children in awkward circumstances, which had elicited laughter from everyone and other such stories all around.

Suddenly, Ranma-chan's senses began screaming at her of an approaching danger, prompting her to stop mid-stride and startle those walking with her. But before anyone could ask why she'd suddenly stopped, a loud groan of dismay escaped the little redhead's lips as Tatewaki Kuno came charging around a corner at the end of the block heading right for her.

"Pigtailed Girl!" Kuno cried out, rushing up to the group, stopping, and clearly looking upon Nyoko with evident disgust. "Pigtailed Girl, say it isn't so! Tell me that mine eyes deceive me, that that foul sorceror hasn't corrupted your purity and forced you to give birth to this disgusting demon-spawn!"

There's an old saying that goes, "Never underestimate the power of a Japanese housewife!" But there's another, even older, saying, that is more universal and one Tatewaki Kuno was about to learn of, firsthand. This saying? "Never, ever, ever direct a disparaging remark as to the origins, goodness of behavior, or beauty, about a baby in the presence of it's mother!" You're very likely to receive a extremely violent and very painful response.

-X-X-X-

A/N: I'd like to thank Tai Khan for helping me get these scenes out properly.

Yes this is a re-make of Love of a Cheetah, a little better done I think.


	2. A Mother's Joy

Disclaimer: I do not own either Ranma ½ or Gold Digger, all rights are reserved to their respective owners, Rumiko Takahashi and Fred Perry.

-X-X-X-

Love of a Cheetah – Chapter 2

"If there is anything more ferocious, dangerous, and unpredictable than a mother protecting her young from a perceived threat then I've never heard of it!"

- Quote attributed to numerous Hunters, Warriors, Adventurers and Explorers throughout history in one form or another.

Tatewaki Kuno stood proudly before his love, his Pigtailed Goddess, glaring down upon the demon-spawn that continued with it's feigned innocent slumber, expecting it to leap up and attack him with fangs bared at any moment for daring to expose it's ruse, just like that baby in the movie "It's Alive!". So, needless to say, he was rather startled by the heavy purse that suddenly slammed into his face with considerable force. And the kicks to his shins, hard enough to draw blood, didn't help him with regaining his equilibrium much, either.

Of course, Kuno's pain was only just beginning as mallets, baseball bats, shinai, and other instruments of pain-inducing blunt trauma rapidly appeared in the hands of the women now surrounding him. As he was surrounded and the auras of outraged mothers washed over him, he chanced to look upon the enraged and snarling face of his love. For just a moment, he wondered if, just perhaps, he may have acted with unwise haste and uttered a few ill-chosen words. His pondering ceased, and the real pain began, with his love delivering the opening blow... a particularly crushing kick to a highly sensitive part of his anatomy, thereby demonstrating just how truly upset she was.

(It should be noted that it would later be discovered that the Kuno family line would have to be continued via Tatewaki's sister, Kodachi, as Ranma-chan's blow, enhanced with her enraged chi, had rendered the scion of the noble house of Kuno completely sterile. Not that Tatewaki would ever accept the doctors' findings, nor was it likely to stop the delusional idiot from trying to father his own children, in any case.)

-X-X-X-

Ranma-chan frowned, glancing back at the small postal box into which Tatewaki Kuno's remains had been stuffed, as she and the others continued on towards the next store, now that the delusional idiot had been taught a painful lesson about the consequences of threatening babies in the presence of their mothers. It wasn't the beating of Kuno that was bothering her, however, but her own response and actions during the whole incident. Never in her life could she remember being so... so... enraged! And... afraid? Not for herself, but for Nyoko. And where she'd first kicked Kuno... that was a move she'd never used before, in either form, and had never intended to use, save as a desperate act in a life-or-death fight. And yet, it had been her first, instinctive, shot at Kuno, intended to bring him down hard, fast, and in as much pain as possible, after he'd threatened her ba-... after he'd threatened Nyoko.

Mrs. Tanaka, noticing the redhead's distracted gaze, reached over and softly began massaging Ranma-chan's still tense shoulders as they continued walking. "Saotome-san, is something troubling you? I'd heard that that Kuno boy was pursuing you, and doesn't know about... your problem, but... I still can't believe he had the utter gall to say such things. And in public no less! And then to threaten your baby? They need to lock that boy up and throw away the key!"

"I'll be alright, Tanaka-san," Ranma-chan said, taking a calming breath and relaxing into the gentle massage a moment before checking on Nyoko, who was still asleep and drooling a bit. "I just wasn't expecting to react so... violently, like that," she continued, pulling a tissue from a side-pocket of the stroller and pausing in her walk to wipe away the drool from Nyoko's chin. "I mean, Kuno's always spoutin' off some nonsense and throwin' insults around. But for some reason... I snapped!"

Mrs. Tanaka sighed, shaking her head as she watched the much smaller and younger girl tend to her baby. Kneeling down beside the stroller, across from Ranma, she lowered her voice slightly and said, "Saotome-san, I don't even begin to claim any understanding of how your curse affects you. I'm certain that your male-form will be a good father figure for Nyoko, but... after witnessing what just occurred, I can say with utter conviction that your female-form will make a good mother, as well. You may not understand it, but in that form, at least, you have a mother's instincts and when your baby was threatened you reacted as any mother would to protect her child."

"But I'm not--" Ranma-chan began.

"I know," Mrs. Tanaka interrupted. "You're not her birth mother. And from all that I've heard you say and from what I've heard from Kasumi, you're not likely to ever be someone's birth mother. Much to the disappointment of boys and men the world over," she said, with a mischievous smirk at seeing Ranma-chan's frown. "But that doesn't really matter, in any case. Motherhood is far more than just the physical act of giving birth. Even the lowest forms of life on the planet can give birth to offspring. No, motherhood is about protecting, nurturing, caring for and loving unconditionally. There's more, but those are among the top of the list. You are Nyoko's mother, she is your baby, and that as they say is that... At least when you're a girl, anyway! And even if, or when, you marry some lucky girl, and she becomes Nyoko's mother... you will still be her mother in that form."

"Hey, you two!" one of the other women, a new mother herself pushing a double-stroller containing newborn twins, called out from where the others had stopped a bit further down the sidewalk. "We can't continue this baby shower, late as it is, without the new mother along, you know! C'mon, we're going to hit the bakery for something to munch on!"

"Sweets!" Mrs. Tanaka said with a grin.

"Coming!" Ranma-chan called back to the others, returning Mrs. Tanaka's grin with her own as she stood. "We 'mothers' have to keep up our energy, after all!"

The rest of the morning passed pleasantly enough and while Ranma-chan was still embarrassed over some of the topics of conversation that came up among the women, she'd long since lost most of her ability to blush. In all, however, she had to admit that she'd enjoyed the time spent among the other women and she'd gotten all kinds of useful information on caring for and raising Nyoko, not to mention purchased nearly everything she could possibly ever need to care for her daughter arranging to have the larger items delivered to the Dojo later. Before returning to the Dojo herself, however, she had one more stop to make.

-X-X-X-

Ranma-chan made her goodbyes, thanking the group for their help, advice and gifts, before turning and pushing the stroller into Dr. Tofu's clinic. As it was the middle of the usual lunch hour for most people, she wasn't surprised to find the clinic all but deserted, yet still expected to find Dr. Tofu within as he hadn't placed up a sign stating that he was out.

"Yo, Doc!" she called cheerfully. "Ya busy?"

"Ranma?" Tofu responded, stepping into the doorway of his office, a steaming teacup in one hand. His eyes widened only slightly at the sight of a female Ranma standing next to a baby stroller and several shopping bags filled with baby things. Not exactly what one would expect to see anywhere near the 'Wild Horse'. "Well, hello. What brings you into my clinic today?"

Ranma-chan reached down to pick up Nyoko out of her stroller before responding. "If you're not too busy, Doc, I was hoping to get a check-up for Nyoko here. She seems healthy enough, but I want to be sure. We're in no hurry and can wait, if you haven't eaten lunch yet."

"As a matter of fact, I'd just finished eating and was enjoying a cup of tea while doing some paperwork," Tofu responded. "If you'll give me a few moments to wash up, I'll be more than happy give, 'Nyoko' was it, a full exam."

"Her full name's Midori Nyoko Saotome," Ranma-chan said, tickling the baby under her chin. "Or at least, it will be once I adopt her. I... I don't know what her parents might have named her, and I didn't even think to ask while..."

"Yes," Tofu said into the ensuing silence, "understandable considering the circumstances. I've, uh... made arrangements for the funeral to be held this coming Saturday, at a nearby cemetery, but I haven't a clue as to what her religious beliefs might have been. And I need to know what should be placed on the marker."

"Her name was Xeris," Ranma-chan spoke softly. "And her husband was named Charon. I don't know their clan name."

"Hmm... how about, 'Here lies Xeris, beloved wife of Charon and loving mother'?" Tofu suggested.

"Sounds okay," Ranma-chan said sadly, holding Nyoko closer to herself.

"Ranma? Do you know if Nyoko may have other living relatives?" Tofu hadn't really wanted to ask the question, as he could clearly see that Ranma had grown very attached to the baby in a short time, but he had to.

"I don't think so," Ranma-chan responded. "I was told that they were the last of their kind, and Xeris said that their village had been destroyed. Doc... you've got to keep quiet about what Nyoko is. Xeris' people had some powerful enemies, and they're supposed to be intent on completely wiping out all of her people."

"All right, Ranma," Tofu stated. "Why don't you take Nyoko into the examination room while I wash up, and then you can tell me as much as you can about Xeris and her people. The more I know, the more I can help if something happens."

"Okay, Doc."

-X-X-X-

Akane fumed as she sat under one of the trees in the school yard eating her lunch with her friends, Yuka and Sayuri, and grumbling to herself. Despite having vented her frustrations on Kuno that morning, and Ranma's inability to insult and annoy her due to his absence, things had only gotten worse as the day progressed. Somehow, Ranma's infidelity to her, his fiancée, had become common knowledge throughout the school and she just knew that everyone was talking about her, laughing behind her back about how she hadn't been woman enough to keep her fiancé in check... She hadn't had a moment's peace all morning with the constant whispering, and the notes that kept piling up on her desk had already gotten her sent into the hall for 'bucket duty' three times.

"Tendo-san, is it true? Does Ranma have a baby?" a fairly recent transfer student asked, the girl not having attended Furinkan High School long enough to know better than to approach Akane when she was in one of her moods.

"YES, IT'S TRUE!" Akane exploded, jumping to her feet and glaring at the now frightened girl as her battle aura swirled about her. "The pervert was sleeping around behind my back, just as I've always claimed, and he knocked up some gaijin hussy, who dumped their bastard child on him before disappearing. As far as I'm concerned we're no longer engaged, we were NEVER engaged, and the dishonorable perverted freak can take his bastard child and GO TO HELL FOR ALL I CARE! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Ukyo grinned at Akane's shouted declaration, watching as the frightened freshman ran off and even Akane's two closest friends looked ready to bolt, before turning back to Nabiki's replacement for information. "So... let's see if I've got this right. A woman showed up at the Tendo place yesterday, dying, Ranma knew her from somewhere and before she died she gave him her newborn daughter, which he intends to adopt as his own. Right?"

"That's the info Nabiki supplied us, Kuonji-san. Apparently, Akane has yet to ask where the baby actually came from and is jumping to her usual conclusions."

Ukyo handed over the remainder of the cost for the information, a delighted smile gracing her face. By Akane's own declaration, publicly no less, she was no longer engaged to Ranma. Akane's sisters had never indicated any real interest in marrying her Ranchan, Shampoo didn't have chance as long as she continued trying to drag him back to her backwards little village as nothing more than breeding stock, and Kodachi wasn't even a consideration. Which meant... her path to Ranma was clear! And once she showed her Ranchan how good of a mother she'd be to his new daughter...

Ukyo was giggling happily to herself as she quickly began cleaning up her portable grill, intending to skip the remainder of the school day and go greet 'her' future stepdaughter.

-X-X-X-

Ranma-chan was not looking forward to her return to the Tendo-ke, fully expecting to be confronted by both fathers in full rant mode as she noted a delivery van from one of the stores she'd purchased baby-stuff from pulling away from in front of the gate. As expected, she had no sooner set down her shopping bags and announced her return that she was jumped by the two idiots.

"Boy! What is the meaning of that?" Genma shouted, while pointing at a still boxed play-pen. "And where did you get the money to buy it? I demand that you hand over all of the money you have left, for safekeeping, so you don't waste it on such garbage! We'll take the child to Social Services, as you should have done in the first place, and they can take care it!"

"Quite right, Saotome!" Soun agreed. "We have neither the funds nor the room for yet another mouth to feed. However, if you insist on keeping the child, then I must demand that you marry Akane immediately for the child's own good. It should have a mother to care for it, while you take over the schools."

Without a word, Ranma-chan stepped toward the two and, with blinding speed, nailed each of the windbags in the solar plexus with a palm-strike, doubling them over as they struggled to get air back into their lungs. Ranma-chan then turned to Nyoko who, surprisingly, hadn't started wailing at all the noise this time, and actually appeared to be smiling as her inquisitive gaze flitted about. Ranma-chan lifted her out of the stroller, cooing at her and uttering 'baby-talk', before turning back to face the Dimwitted Duo.

"Listen up, and listen good," she growled, giving the two men a hard glare. "Nyoko was given into my care by her mother as she lay dying, and I swore to her that I would raise her daughter as if she were my own flesh and blood. So there will be no more talk of giving her over to someone else to raise. Is that understood?"

"Boy..." Genma began brusquely, having regained his breath a bit faster than Soun, only to be abruptly cut off as Ranma-chan grabbed him by the lapel of his gi and yanked him down to her eye level.

"Is... that... understood?" Ranma-chan growled, her eyes promising immense pain if the wrong answer was given.

Fearfully, Genma nodded his understanding. Despite what many believed, while Genma 'was' a fool, he wasn't a 'complete' fool. He knew when his child would not be shaken from a decision and, after witnessing the battle at Jusendo, Genma wasn't fool enough to believe he could take down his child without some very serious consequences, for himself, afterwards.

"Wh-... What about... Akane?" Soun asked, beginning to finally regain his breath. "Surely you want the child to have a mother. We could call the priest and hold the wedding this very afternoon."

"There will be no wedding, Tendo-san," Ranma-chan spoke evenly, her voice still hard. "Especially not to Akane, as she has once again ended our engagement, and I am extremely reluctant to even 'consider' being engaged to her again in the future after the things she said this morning."

"Now, Son," Soun began seeing his dreams once again on the brink of destruction, "you know she didn't mean whatever she said. You know she has a bit of a temper. I'm certain that we can work it all out."

"Not this time," Ranma-chan responded, brushing past the two and heading for the kitchen. "This time, she lives with the consequences of her uncontrolled temper. If it was just me... maybe, in time... But I have a daughter to think of now. And I have to consider her welfare, first and foremost. And until she can control her temper, Akane's a danger to everyone around her. I'm not even certain if I should remain living here in the same house with her."

-X-X-X-

A woman with dark-auburn hair, worn in a tight bun, and dressed in a dark-purple formal kimono decorated with blossoming orchids, made her way carefully down the street. Anyone who was even remotely familiar with Japanese history, dress and customs, would have freely admitted that she would not have looked the least bit out of place in feudal era Japan. Even in modern Japan, her manner of dress, while unusual for day-to-day wear, wasn't entirely uncommon, although the long, slender, silk-wrapped bundle she carried in her slender hands did raise an eyebrow or two, but nothing more. After all, this was Nerima, and the unusual was fairly common here. This particular woman, however, was none other than Nodoka Saotome, wife of Genma Saotome, and she was making one of her occasional visits to the Tendo Dojo to visit with her husband and son.

She had contacted Kasumi earlier that morning, to both announce her intention to visit the Tendo-ke and to ask if she could pick up anything at the marketplace for that night's dinner, when during the course of their conversation Kasumi let slip that Ranma was not attending school that day. Something had occurred over the weekend and it had been thought best that Ranma not attend for a day or two, and yet he wasn't presently at the Dojo. Her curiosity piqued at what new adventure her manly son was taking part in this time, Nodoka had asked Kasumi to wait until her arrival before telling her anything as she wanted to get all the details in the proper order.

As she entered the Tendo-ke she noticed several shopping bags and... a baby-stroller!... sitting in the entryway. Peeking into the bags her eyes widened at their contents. Someone was having a baby! It was the only possible explanation for so much baby stuff. And since it was here... and her manly son was the only potential father of such in the household...

"GRANDBABIES! WAI! WAI!"

Nodoka's jubilant shout elicited several other sounds from further within the household. One was the sound of a stocky, slightly overweight, martial artist performing a decidedly ungraceful bellyflop into the koi pond. The next was an almost surprised voice exclaiming, "Oh my," as if having forgotten said visitor was going to arrive. And the last was the wail of a startled baby, quickly quieted, before being followed by contented gurgling.

Nodoka broke several land-speed records in her rush towards the sounds, skidding to a halt just inside the main room of the house. Sitting at the low table was her son-presently-turned-daughter, and she was gently bouncing... A BABY!... in her lap.

"My son is so MANLY!" she cried out, startling the baby into another short wail of protest at the loud noise. In the blink of an eye Nodoka was kneeling next to Ranma-chan, looking the baby over intently. Slowly, her smile began to fade as she noted that the baby bore no hint of Japanese ancestry. The 'dirty' blond hair caused her smile to fade even further. That she could find no trace of anything that would indicate that the baby was a product of her son's manliness caused her smile to fade completely from her face.

Ranma-chan was, at the moment, attempting to calm Nyoko back down after all of the excitement, but she'd spent most of the morning asleep already and was grabbing at everything that caught her attention. Ranma-chan had, however, noted her mother's collapsing jubilation out of the corner of her eye and was hopeful that it would return once she learned that she 'was' a grandmother now, even if Nyoko wasn't her granddaughter by blood. "Uh... Hi, Kaa-san."

Nodoka barely twitched in acknowledgement of Ranma-chan's greeting, as Kasumi joined them at the table with a tray of tea and snacks.

"Auntie?" Kasumi spoke up, drawing the older Saotome woman's attention to her. "Isn't Nyoko-chan the cutest little angel?" she asked with a serene expression.

"Nyoko-chan?" Nodoka repeated, looking between Ranma-chan and Kasumi. "Who's child is she?"

"She's mine... now," Ranma-chan replied, her expression turning sad.

"Yours?"

"Yes, Auntie," Kasumi responded, her angelic appearance never wavering. "And Ranma's proving to be a very good father... and a good mother, too, actually," she giggled, making Ranma-chan flush in embarrassment.

Nodoka turned to face her child, clearly waiting for an explanation.

Ranma-chan took a deep breath, noting that the fathers had disappeared but certain they were close by and listening. Giving her mother a warm smile, and silently hoping that she would accept Nyoko as her granddaughter and lay off on her pressure for her son to get some girl in the sack, she formally stated, "Okaasan, allow me to introduce your new granddaughter, Midori Nyoko Saotome."

"She's not Japanese," Nodoka flatly stated, causing both Kasumi and Ranma-chan to frown in concern. If Nodoka refused to accept Nyoko into the Saotome family, it could cause some major difficulties.

Nyoko, meanwhile, having apparently grown bored with pulling on Ranma-chan's yellow silk shirt, turned her attentions to the other large, colorful object nearby, which happened to be Nodoka. Gurgling and squealing in apparent interest, Nyoko waved her little arms towards Nodoka, her tiny hands opening and closing.

For all her pretense at displeasure over Nyoko's lack of Japanese origins, and despite her samurai heritage and firm belief in tradition... Nodoka was still a woman.

"Sooo CUTE!" Nodoka squealed in delight and giggled like a schoolgirl as she accepted Nyoko into her own lap as Ranma-chan passed her over.

As Nodoka began to get acquainted with the newest member of the Saotome family, Ranma-chan and Kasumi exchanged glances and silent sighs of relief. Another hurdle had been successfully passed... but even more remained.

-X-X-X-

Ukyo vaulted over the wall surrounding the Tendo-ke, not bothering with the gate, and straightened her uniform as she made her way to the front door. Granted, the boy's school uniform wasn't going to help her in presenting an image of herself as the perfect 'mother' for Ranma's new daughter, but... Ranma knew the truth and she hadn't wanted to take the time to stop off at her restaurant to change into one of the few more 'feminine' outfits she'd gotten since coming to Nerima. No, her choice of clothing wouldn't be an issue. How she interacted with Ranma's new daughter, on the other hand, would be.

Admittedly, she didn't she really know all that much about babies, having spent the majority of her life learning how to pass herself off as 'one of the guys'. Instead of playing 'House' and using dolls as imaginary babies, the role-playing games she'd played growing up had been those which boys had commonly learned and none of them had included babies. Still, despite appearances and the games she'd played growing up, she was a girl and therefore, by extension, a natural mother. How hard could it really be? She was fairly confident that her 'natural' maternal instincts would come to the fore and allow her to make a good showing for Ranma to see.

Ukyo paused as her hand rose to knock on the door and announce her presence to those inside, as a sudden thought struck her. Just what kind of mother would Ranma want for his daughter? Fawning, doting and indulgent? Strict, firm and demanding? Ranma's own mother seemed to flit from one to the other, and Ukyo had no memories of her own mother to draw any examples from. Ukyo pondered that question for a few moments more, before setting it aside for later consideration. Right now, all she really needed to do was to show that, unlike Akane, she would welcome Ranma's daughter as her own.

Her thoughts and plans settled for the moment, Ukyo once more lifted her hand and rapped smartly on the door before her, a confident smile gracing her lips.

-X-X-X-

Ranma-chan watched her mother fussing over Nyoko, while keeping a wary eye on Genma and Soun who'd finally slunk back into the house when it became apparent that Nodoka's ever-present katana wasn't going to be unsheathed in the immediate future. She knew for a fact that they weren't about to leave things as they were for very long... they never could. Sooner or later, one or more likely both were going to bring up the subject of marriage, uniting the schools, and getting a 'real' mother for Nyoko, hoping to gain Nodoka's support in browbeating her into accepting 'their' wisdom. As if. Ranma-chan had already committed herself to Nyoko's well-being, come what may, and if it came down to a choice between Nyoko's future and disappointing Nodoka...

"Hey everybody! Hi, Ranchan!"

Ranma-chan felt her stomach drop as Ukyo came into the room, escorted in by Kasumi who'd gone to answer the knock at the front door. She'd known that it would only be a matter of time before her fiancées began showing up, but she hadn't expected it to be this soon. Ukyo had obviously heard about Nyoko, most likely from Akane, and had skipped school to come see for herself. This was confirmed sufficiently enough when Ukyo wasted not a single moment in sitting herself down beside Nodoka and also began fussing over Nyoko, without the slightest hint of surprise at the baby's presence.

Ranma-chan's eyes narrowed slightly and her jaw muscles tensed, as Ukyo began attempting to coax Nodoka into letting her hold 'her' new stepdaughter. Ranma-chan may have forgiven all of the girls for what they'd done to her mother's house and what had occurred at the wedding fiasco, but she certainly hadn't forgotten. And there was no way in hell that she was going to allow Nyoko to become the rope in a game of 'Tug-o-War' between them in their pursuit to marry her.

Ranma-chan began searching for a means to retrieve her daughter from her mother's lap, without overly offending her, and get her out of Ukyo's reach, when Nyoko provided the perfect opportunity by beginning to gnaw on one little fist, a sign Ranma-chan had quickly learned to mean that she was getting hungry. A sign to be shortly followed by wailing if nourishment wasn't soon provided.

"Kaa-san," Ranma-chan said, rising from the table and moving to stand beside her mother, arms outstretched in obvious indication for Nyoko to be handed to her, "I think Nyoko-chan is getting hungry and needs to be fed."

Nodoka looked up at her son-turned-daughter and frowned, before looking back down to her new granddaughter, very reluctant to part with her for any reason. Granted, Nyoko-chan wasn't Japanese, but she was just so cute and adorable, and her startling green eyes and oddly spotted blonde hair gave her an exotic quality that was hardly unappealing. Nyoko looked perfectly content to continue lying in her 'grandmother's' lap, gnawing on her little clenched fist happily and cooing like a well-behaved baby should.

"Nonsense, dear," Nodoka finally responded in her most condescending 'Mother knows best' tone, "if Nyoko-chan were hungry, I'd know."

Not one to pass up such an opportunity to display her own 'motherly' abilities, Ukyo quickly piped up, while reaching for Nyoko, "I can feed her if she's hungry, Saotome-san."

Neither Nodoka, nor Ukyo, noticed the deep frown that Ranma-chan was now displaying at her mother's words and tone. Ranma-chan, even in such a short period of time, had been learning a vast amount about what it meant to be a parent, especially of what it meant to be a 'mother' having spent nearly the entire morning in that role, and was quickly re-evaluating Nodoka's past performance in fulfilling that role herself. The results were proving to be far less than exemplary, to say the least. And Ukyo's repeated attempts to get a hold of Nyoko were also more than a little irritating for Nyoko's sole parent. Before either woman could even think to protest, Ranma-chan had gently plucked her daughter from Nodoka's lap and was heading for the kitchen.

"Wha..?" Nodoka exclaimed, suddenly finding herself with an empty lap, while Ukyo just blinked in confusion. With an unusually loud sigh, Kasumi also rose from the table, retrieving the small knapsack from where Ranma-chan had left it, before moving to join her in the kitchen.

-X-X-X-

Ukyo fumed to herself, as she stared toward the kitchen doorway. Not only had she been unable to coax Nodoka into letting her hold the baby, but Ranma had yet to even greet her. And while she knew that Ranma could be exceedingly dense and rude at times, to just snatch the baby from his own mother's lap like that on the pretense of feeding it, when his own mother, who would be the mostly likely to know such things, had indicated that the baby wasn't likely to be hungry, was beyond the norm even for him. And even if the baby was hungry, he hadn't even acknowledged her offer to feed the baby herself. How was she supposed to demonstrate how good of a mother she could be if she wasn't given the opportunity to do so?

"Ranchan, you jackass!" Ukyo growled as she jumped to her feet and moved quickly to the kitchen doorway. "Why won't you..." Ukyo froze and blinked as she saw just what was occurring inside the kitchen.

Kasumi was doing something at the stove, and she could see a container of baby formula as well as a baby bottle, but what grabbed and held Ukyo's attention was Ranma-chan and baby. Ranma had lifted her shirt up, exposing her rather impressive bosom, and was holding the baby up to one of her breasts. Based on the slightly glazed look of Ranma-chan's eyes and the suckling sounds that the baby was making, it was rather obvious as to what was going on.

A slow grin began to appear on Ukyo's face as she considered the implications that this sight revealed of her future as Ranma's wife. Ranma's curse, it seems, had some unexpected benefits, and she wouldn't have to worry about being the sole provider of milk for 'their' child when a ready substitute was only a splash of cold water away. The fact that Ranma-chan couldn't possibly be lactating, even with a baby held to her breast, completely escaped her notice. Still, this 'did' present some rather interesting possibilities to further her aim of getting Ranma to marry her.

"Ranma-honey," Ukyo began, reaching up to begin undoing the buttons of her uniform jacket as she stepped into the kitchen, "why don't you let me do that."

Of course, the rather husky tone of Ukyo's voice and her apparently beginning to undress, immediately grabbed the attention of the only two males presently in the house, who rightly interpreted her actions as a threat to their plans for the future. An instant later and they too were bearing witness to the proceedings within the kitchen, although their reactions were decidedly less accommodating and much louder.

"WAH! RANMA'S TURNED INTO A MOTHER!" Soun wailed to the heavens, waterfalls erupting from his eyes. "NOW THE SCHOOLS WILL NEVER BE UNITED! WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

BOY! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET ME KILLED? Genma-panda's sign read as he charged into the kitchen, knocking Ukyo aside, intending to separate the two. He could already feel his wife's katana on the back of his neck. Stop that RIGHT NOW!

CLANG!

"Father!" Kasumi snapped, lowering the now dented skillet which she'd used to send Genma-panda crashing to the floor. "Cease that noise, this instant! You'll frighten the baby! And you," she continued, turning her glare down to a surprised Genma-panda, "don't you EVER try to attack Ranma again when he's holding Nyoko, or I'll have Akane fixing all of your meals for the next month!"

Kasumi didn't really like making that threat, but she also knew that it was about the only threat that Uncle Saotome would heed.

"That is not a very 'manly' thing to be doing, my 'Son'!"

Everyone turned to see a scowling Nodoka standing in the kitchen doorway, her ever-present silk-wrapped bundle held tightly in her hands.

Ranma-chan's expression, already in a frown due to everyone barging into the kitchen and their various reactions, darkened further at her mother's threatening tone, stance and disapproving expression. Just who did Nodoka think she was to judge her? To imply that she knew better on how Nyoko should be cared for? Nodoka may have given birth to her, but Ranma-chan had no memory of her early treatment by this woman. Had Nodoka been a good and caring mother? And yet, this was the same woman that had allowed her husband to take her only child away from her, something Ranma-chan couldn't even imagine contemplating doing with Nyoko, and on a decade-long training journey that was often little more than exercises in thievery, starvation, and torture in the name of the Art. The same woman who had had no hand in her only child's upbringing or education, and yet felt that she had every right to judge her every action and word for honor and manliness, simply because she was her birth-mother. What did Nodoka really know about honor, when she all but ignored her husband's numerous dishonorable actions, passing them onto her only child to resolve, instead of forcing her husband to do so or attempting to solve them herself? What did she really know of being 'manly', when a man like Genma was her husband and her ideal of a 'man among men' was little more than an honorable perverted womanizer that attempted to bed every female he came across?

"Do all of you mind!" Ranma-chan said coldly, turning her back on Nodoka, much to said elder woman's astonishment. "I'm trying to feed my baby! Kasumi, is the bottle ready?"

Before Kasumi could do more than turn to check on the bottle being heated on the stove, the Lost Boy himself, Ryouga Hibiki, stepped out of the pantry Ranma-chan was facing, while looking back over his shoulder in complete confusion.

"Ryouga?" Ranma-chan asked in mild surprise, having long since given up wondering how the boy emerged from various odd locations.

"Ranma?" the Lost Boy responded with his own surprise, turning about to face her and... promptly freezing solid, his eyes seeming to double in size as he took note of Ranma-chan's exposed state. And that she had a baby suckling upon one of her more than substantial breasts.

"Hey! You okay?" Ranma-chan asked, noting that he'd suddenly broken out in a sweat and that a thin trail of blood had begun to seep from one nostril. "Ryouga?" she asked in genuine concern, reaching out to grasp one shoulder, only to have the Lost Boy collapse to the floor in a dead faint.

"Oh my," Kasumi stated, "I knew he reacted that way to other girls, but I thought... well, he never seemed to have that problem with you, Ranma?"

"Beats me, Kasumi," Ranma-chan said with a shrug, although she had a strong suspicion about why Ryouga had reacted as he had. She just hoped it didn't become a problem in the future, as the last thing she needed or wanted was for Ryouga to actually start seeing her as 'girl' cursed to change into a guy. "He's probably just very tired and may be a little sick. He does look like he might have a fever or something with how he's sweating."

Kasumi nodded at the possibility, before quickly retrieving the bottle of baby formula from the pot. Once she was assured that it was the correct temperature, she handed it over to Ranma-chan, before proceeding to ushering the others out. Unfortunately, this was more easily said than done. Ukyo wanted to help Ranma feed Nyoko. Genma and Soun wanted to separate mother and child. And Nodoka wanted to discuss her own child's rude actions towards herself and her child's 'unmanly' behavior, and she wanted to discuss them right now!

Ranma-chan sighed, pulling her shirt back down once Nyoko was nursing on her bottle, and looked towards Kasumi for any help she could offer. Unfortunately, Kasumi had no further abilities to call upon as the demands continued to grow louder and more insistent, until an upset voice spoke loudly from the doorway.

"Would all of you just leave both of them alone!"

-X-X-X-

On the plains of Africa, in the Serengeti, the remains of a once thriving village can be seen, still smoldering from recent fires and with the bodies of the recently slain strewn about. Suddenly, the very air itself seems to rip apart, and a tall man with blonde hair and a beard stepped out from the seeming nothingness to stand alone, surveying the area about him. Dressed in an old, weather-worn leather jacket and a seemingly skin-tight black bodysuit, the figure stood motionless with his eyes closed for a considerable period of time, as if listening intently for the slightest sound.

"Too late... Again," Theodore Diggers sighed sadly, as he slowly began walking through the destruction trying to piece together what had occurred. His magical senses were telling him that the village attackers had teleported in and back out again, but a mass illusion spell over the village, in addition to the large number of teleportation spells, was preventing him from discerning where any of the teleportation spells had originated from or led to. The identity of the village attackers was fairly obvious from the number of skeletons and the remains of other undead creatures scattered about, as well as the means of the werecheetah village's demise... sheer overwhelming numbers and silver weapons. But why would creatures from the Undead Realm attack this village? And in such large numbers? Only one answer came to his mind. "Gothwrain," he softly swore. "It appears that he was successful in wiping out the werecheetahs, just as he wanted." A soft, sad smile appeared on face, "Except for little Britanny, that is."

With nothing further that he could do or learn, Theodore Diggers activated another teleportation spell and headed home. He wasn't looking forward to giving his wife, Julia, the sad news that their adopted daughter was now the last of her kind, the last of the Werecheetahs.

-X-X-X-


	3. Amazons and Messes

Disclaimer: I do not own either Ranma ½ or Gold Digger, all rights are reserved to their respective owners, Rumiko Takahashi and Fred Perry.

-X-X-X

Love of a Cheetah – Chapter 3

-X-X-X-

"Would all of you just leave both of them alone!"

Nabiki stood in the doorway, arms crossed beneath her breasts, and glared at the group harassing Ranma. She'd known something like this was going to happen after she'd received a second call from Ryonami, her protégé that was still attending Furinkan High School, about who had purchased the information about Ranma and Nyoko and their reactions to said information. She had hoped that this wouldn't happen for at least another day, but it almost looked as if the chaos that normally surrounded Ranma had grown to include Nyoko. Setting aside such thoughts for later consideration, Nabiki took several steps into the room, giving each of the aggressors a cold hard stare before speaking.

"I expected that you two might do something to interfere with Ranma taking care of Nyoko," she stated, rounding on the two fathers, her tone making both of them reach back to cover their wallets as if cornered by an overzealous bill collector and they had nowhere to run. "But to actually attack Ranma while she's still holding Nyoko... I never thought I'd see the day when the two so-called 'Masters' of Anything-Goes, self-proclaimed Martial Artists and defenders of the weak, would actually ENDANGER the life of an innocent simply to further their own selfish goals."

"Now, Nabiki, you should be more respectful of your eld--" the eldest woman in the room started, only to stop abruptly as a withering, disapproving, glare was shot in her direction. Nodoka flinched, but only slightly, managing to conceal just how much that look reminded her of her own mother's often-disapproving glares.

"You, however, I was actually expecting better of. I'm so disappointed, already going back on your declaration of Ranma being 'manly' and of having fulfilled his obligations for a contract he hadn't even been able to understand when he'd been tricked into placing his palm-print on it. Do you intend to hold that idiotic, and highly illegal, seppuku pledge over Ranma's head for the rest of his life? Continually judging his every action and word against some measure of supposed MANLINESS that would literally disgust the majority of women in the world? Some example of MOTHERHOOD you've turned out to be," Nabiki stated coldly, the fury in her brown eyes clearly displaying that she'd found the elder woman's behavior barely above complete contempt. "And I don't even want to know what you were hinting at doing before I arrived."

"But my son doesn't know how to take care of a baby," Nodoka argued, unwilling to back down before the much younger female, her hands tightening about the silk-wrapped bundle she habitually carried. And how dare this CHILD question HER, either on a matter of honor, which was strictly a family matter, or on her ability to be a good mother. "And as his MOTHER, I know more about caring for a baby than he does!"

"We have only your word, which due to recent events has become suspect, and Ranma's continued survival to back up such a claim on your part, Saotome-san," Nabiki shot back, foregoing the expected, and often demanded, 'Auntie'. "And Ranma's proven, repeatedly, that he's a natural survivor, no matter what he's been forced to endure or had inflicted upon him. And as you had no hand in the majority of his upbringing, you are hardly in a position to claim any credit as to how he's turned out."

While Nodoka and Nabiki started 'discussing' how one should properly raise a baby, Ukyo was deciding whether it would be a good idea to try to sneak away, before Nabiki turned her attention her way. This opportunity to show her Ranchan how good of a mother she'd be for Nyoko hadn't panned out, but there would be other opportunities. Moving as stealthily as she could, Ukyo had almost made it to the doorway when her progress was abruptly halted by someone grabbing hold of her battle-spatula. Looking back over her shoulder, Ukyo noted the surprisingly strong grasp upon her weapon, her eyes trailing down the arm to the hand's owner, Nabiki, who was still engaged in her heated discussion with Mrs. Saotome.

Nabiki, half-listening to Nodoka's insistent argument that SHE would be a much better choice to care for Nyoko, until Ranma married, to which both father's heartily agreed, took a moment to shoot the okonomiyaki chef a hard glare. And despite the noise generated by the three so-called 'adults', Nabiki's voice managed to carry clearly to said chef's ears, "And just where do you think you're going, Kuonji-san? We have important matters to discuss, you and I."

-+-+-+-

Kasumi and Ranma-chan watched the arguments flying between the parents and Nabiki. It hadn't been Nabiki's initial, admittedly loud, call to order that had upset Nyoko, but the parents' apparent belief that if they SHOUTED their arguments it would give them more weight and credence, which was continuing to upset her. Ranma-chan was doing her best to calm Nyoko, straightening her shirt and covering herself now that Nyoko was suckling on her bottle, wanting to remove her daughter from such a hostile environment, but was uncertain as to whether or not to leave Nabiki alone to face the others.

Kasumi, on the other hand, gave a pleasant smile and watched as her younger sister deftly countered each one of the parents' blatantly selfish arguments. Her gaze fell to the redhead beside her, noting the troubled expression, and decided that it would best if the young 'mother' and her child were removed from such a disturbing area. Gently coaxing the younger girl from the kitchen, Kasumi led her upstairs and to her own room. Little Nyoko would doubtless prefer a 'quiet' nap after she finished eating.

"Ranma-kun, you need to relax. Nabiki is more than capable of dealing with our parents," Kasumi said with a gentle smile. Then, more hesitantly, she asked, "When Nyoko-chan's finished eating... can I hold her? Just for a little while?"

Ranma-chan looked over to the eldest Tendo sister as she settled onto the bed beside her, noting the somewhat wistful expression Kasumi had on her face. It was easy to see that Kasumi was thinking of one day holding a baby of her own. Nabiki may have already displayed a surprising knowledge of how to care for a baby, but there was no mistaking the desire to attain such knowledge herself in Kasumi's caring eyes. And the thought of Kasumi, of all people, doing something, even unintentionally, to bring harm to Nyoko just flat-out wouldn't enter Ranma-chan's mind.

"Sure, Kasumi," Ranma-chan answered, returning the elder girl's smile with a soft one of her own. Noticing that Nyoko was finished with her bottle, she added, "Just let me burp her and she'll fall right to sleep." She didn't fail to notice that Kasumi avidly watched every detail of the process, from the placement of the small towel over her shoulder, to how she gently rubbed and patted Nyoko's back, until said baby let out a particularly loud burp, which caused them both to giggle slightly. Then, making sure she was clean, Ranma-chan carefully handed over her precious burden into the elder woman's arms. Much like Nabiki, Ranma-chan found that Kasumi looked complete with a baby in her arms and, if it was possible, even more beautiful than she'd previously thought her to be. It was something to keep in mind.

Kasumi held little Nyoko gently, watching raptly as the little bundle yawned and waved her arms about while wiggling herself closer to the pleasant warmth of the person holding her. The eldest Tendo sister gave a wistful sigh, imagining Nyoko was her own child, before looking up to smile upon Ranma-chan, only... she was gone. Fear and panic were just beginning to show in Kasumi's eyes, when she heard her bedroom door opening and she turned to see Ranma-chan struggling get the overly large box containing the 'Pack-N-Play' crib she'd purchased earlier in the day through the doorway. Several frustrating minutes later, accompanied with numerous softly muttered curses, "'Ease of assembly and disassembly for the parent on the go', my cute little ass! Who wrote these instructions? A drunk orangutan?", the crib had been properly assembled and was ready for use. Kasumi had waited and watched patiently, reluctant to release the baby even for her nap, but she knew that she likely needed to head downstairs and assist Nabiki in getting the others to calm down so Nyoko could sleep undisturbed.

"Kasumi?" Ranma-chan called, slightly startling the elder girl from her thoughts. "I think Nabiki could use your help with... the others, downstairs. She's good, but you've always had a 'calming' influence on those around you and that could make what she's doing even more effective." Not that Ranma-chan really knew what Nabiki was attempting to do, other than seemingly trying to get their parents to back off and let her care for Nyoko in relative peace.

Kasumi nodded, reluctantly, but nonetheless rose from her bed to walk over to the crib and gently set Nyoko down within it. "Thank you, Ranma-kun," she said with a wistful smile, before turning to place a soft kiss on Ranma-chan's cheek. "If you ever need a place to put Nyoko, so she can sleep undisturbed or for any reason, you can always use my room." With that said Kasumi made her way out of the room, already turning her attention to the Wa of her home, which had been seriously disturbed by their parents.

Ranma-chan watched her leave, the fingers of one hand rising to softly touch the cheek Kasumi had kissed, before she looked down upon her sleeping daughter, a soft smile appearing on her lips. "I guess Nabiki was right about you and 'single' guys," she softly whispered, followed by a soft giggle at her own joke, before she dragged the chair from Kasumi's vanity over beside the crib and sitting in it. Reaching into what she called 'Stuffspace', because one could stuff all kinds of 'stuff' into it, she pulled out a book and began to read. A moment later, she held out her right hand, which began to glow softly, growing brighter then dimmer, much like the pulse of a heartbeat, as she continued to read and reread the same passage in the book, over and over again, as if attempting to commit it to memory. If any of her usual rivals and/or suitors had witnessed the glow about her hand, they likely would have dismissed it as simply being a part of her usual battle aura being forced into the visible spectrum. Only one or two of those might have noticed that the glow was not Ranma's normal blue aura, but white.

-X-X-X-

Ku Lon stood on the counter in the Nekohanten as she waited patiently for the last customer to leave as the 'lunch rush' ended. She'd known that Son-in-law had returned some time ago from his sudden 'training trip', but they'd been so busy with the restaurant lately, and so tired at the end of the day, that they really hadn't had the energy to look in on him recently. And it was recently that concerned her now, as she kept sensing an aura-based magic of some sort sporadically appearing in the general location of the Tendo-ke and it confused and worried her more than a little.

To Ku Lon's knowledge, none of the Tendos or Saotomes had shown any talent, or even an interest, for becoming a mage. And while Happi would often dabble in magic, of various sorts, he generally limited himself to the occasional artifact or scroll. Happi didn't have the patience to actually be bothered with 'learning' a truly unassisted form of magic, which aura-based magic most certainly qualified as, being dependent on nothing else save the mage's own aura.

Sending Xian Pu to investigate wasn't likely to be very informative; Ku Lon had yet to begin instructing her heir on the identification and classification of various types of magic. And Mu Tsu? That would be an utter waste of time and resources as he'd be more likely to use the opportunity to attack Son-in-law, rather than conduct any kind of covert investigation. 'If you want something done right, do it yourself!' she silently lectured herself, before shaking her head and tapping her staff on the counter to draw her great-granddaughter's attention. "Xian Pu, I need to speak with you."

Xian Pu ceased wiping down a table and walked over to her great-grandmother, deftly dodging Mu Tsu's attempt to pull her into a glomp by breaking a handy chair over his head and sending him to the floor. "Great-grandmother going to let Xian Pu see Airen today?"

"Certainly, Child, but I will be accompanying you, as well. There are some strange things occurring over there and I wish to discover if Son-in-law has gotten into trouble once more," Ku Lon stated as she hopped off the counter onto her staff and began hopping towards the exit. "Mu Tsu!" she called back over her shoulder.

Mu Tsu lifted himself up off the floor to glare in the direction of Ku Lon's voice, his glasses still on the floor among the debris of the broken chair. "What is it, Old Ghoul?"

**SLAM CRASH**

Mu Tsu was sent crashing back to the floor as a table slammed into him, tossed at him with a seemingly casual flick of Ku Lon's staff.

"I may allow Son-in-law to get away with being so disrespectful, on occasion, but I will not have you following in his footsteps! His childhood under the tutelage of his pathetic father grants him some leeway in that regard, but YOU have no such excuse!" Ku Lon growled, before composing herself. "The restaurant will be closed for the remainder of the day, so I want you to use this opportunity to give it a thorough cleaning. Is that understood? The Health Inspectors are overdue for their usual visitation, so I fully expect to find this restaurant spotless upon our return from visiting Son-in-law."

"Xian Pu is to be MY bride! Not that demon's!" the near-sighted Amazon snarled back. "I won't allow ANYONE to take her from me!"

**WHACK THUMP**

Most people would have learned their lesson after the table, but then Mu Tsu wasn't most people, as evidenced by the restaurant sign that sent him to the floor for the third time in a row. Still, he wasn't unconscious yet and struggled back up to his feet.

"You will do as you are told! It is not, and never has been, your place to DICTATE whom Xian Pu may or may not associate with, or how! Nor of where she chooses to go, or where she chooses to live! Come along, Xian Pu," Ku Lon exclaimed and hopped out the exit, Xian Pu following.

_" Great-grandmother, why do you feel it necessary to come with me? "_ the purple-haired Amazon asked in her native language, once they were a good distance down the street.

_" Just a feeling, Child, "_ the older woman responded in kind. _" I sensed something that I haven't felt in a long time, originating at the Tendo Dojo, and I'm hoping that I won't have to call upon an old friend to visit. "_

_" Who is this 'old friend'? "_ Xian Pu asked curiously a short time later.

_" Julia Brigand, "_ Ku Lon answered as they arrived before the gates to the Tendo-ke. Turning to her heir, she added, _" Well, Julia Brigand 'Diggers'. It is her husband whose services I may actually require. "_

_" Her husband? What skills could a lowly male possess that you, an Amazon Elder, would need? "_ Xian Pu asked. She thought the question quite reasonable, considering that she'd been raised on the belief that women were naturally superior to men, with an Amazon 'Elder' being the most superior, in all respects. Of course, her own 'Airen' was a bit of an exception to that rule of thumb, which, of course, made him all the more attractive to her.

Ku Lon lightly smacked her heir over the head with her staff, just hard enough to get her point across, before stating, _" You would do well to remember, Child, that 'skill' cares not for gender. Your own husband being a prime example. Julia's husband is a highly skilled warrior in his own right, although in a different manner than ourselves. And yet, one to be respected, even by an Elder of the Amazons. "_

Xian Pu rubbed the top of her head as she looked to her great-grandmother. _" What kind of warrior is this husband of Julia Brigand Diggers? "_

_" A Mage. "_

-X-X-X-

Nabiki was pissed. At least, that's how she felt on the inside, her outer facade, on the other hand, remained seemingly impassive and devoid of expression. It was her 'business face' and it was one that revealed nothing... other than the fact that Nabiki was at her most dangerous when she wore it. Sitting across from her at the low table in the main room of the Tendo-ke were Genma and Nodoka Saotome, as well her as her own father, Soun Tendo. In one corner of the room, Ukyo silently sat having 'decided' to stick around and wait for her Ranchan to come back downstairs. That Nabiki wanted to 'talk' with her, after she'd dealt with the parents... well, that may have had something to do with her remaining presence, but Ukyo would be damned if she'd ever admit that the mercenary Tendo intimidated her.

Not the least bit surprising, considering the cowardly natures of the two males presently in the room, Nodoka fired off the opening salvo. "Nabiki, you must understand our reasoning. Ranma doesn't know how to care for a baby, or raise a child. As his mother, he respects my greater knowledge and wisdom in this matter and knows that I would raise any children he may have in the proper manner."

"Ranma does not 'respect' you, Saotome-san, he 'fears' you," Nabiki stated bluntly. "There is a fine line between the two. The last thing any child should feel towards its own mother, however, is fear. And before you go off about fear being unmanly, if an individual is without fear then they can't possibly be courageous; and by your own definition of 'manliness', if Ranma isn't courageous then he can't be 'manly'. Courage is the 'controlling' of one's own fears, not their absence. The only one's truly without fear are the dead and buried. And it's not seppuku, which you seem so fond of threatening him with, that he fears. It's disappointing you, his own mother. Fortunately, in my opinion, that fear is waning as you continue to show not the slightest respect nor concern for his own wishes, harping on about honor, tradition and manliness, while utterly ignoring your own husband's failings in those areas. And worst of all, forcing him to deal with the problems your husband created, when the only ones in ANY position to actually resolve those problems are you and your husband, NOT Ranma!"

"Nabiki, please," Soun started, as Nodoka sputtered in outrage at being called to task for her failings towards her own child. "We know what's best for Ranma and your sister. We're only trying to give... them..." Soun's voice stuttered to a stop as his daughter turned an all-too-familiar glare upon him. 'So like her mother,' he thought as he shivered in remembrance. Many had been the time his late-wife had sent such a glare in his direction when he'd done something incredibly stupid or selfish, often followed by a severe beating, cold meals and a cold, hard bed in the dojo for several days thereafter, at least.

"Soun's right, girl! And I'm appalled at the disrespect you've shown my wife and I, not to mention your own father! As 'parents', we know best what is in the best interest of our children!" Genma stated firmly, hoping to score points with his slowly calming wife and avoid sharp objects in the immediate future.

"Then by your own argument," Nabiki retorted shifting her glare to Genma, "Ranma, as Nyoko's 'parent', would know what was best for HIS daughter, not you! Still, for the sake of argument, let's look at your track record to date... The Neko-ken, a technique forbidden because it all but guaranteed the death or insanity of the victim forced to undergo it. Multiple engagements for marriage, when Ranma can only 'honorably' marry ONE. Jusenkyo."

Nabiki's glare shifted to Nodoka, "The seppuku contract, which requires Ranma to be a 'man among men', BUT fails to stipulate what that entails and for which the requirements appear to vary depending upon what YOU want Ranma to do. The insistence that Ranma act 'manly', at ALL times, even when Ranma's in girl-form, UNLESS it's in YOUR best interests for Ranma to behave as a 'proper young lady'."

Nabiki's glare once again falls upon her father, "Cousteau's bordello and an offer of 'new talent' in lieu of payment for services received.

"And let's not forget more recent events," Nabiki continued, panning her glare over all three now. "How was it in Ranma's 'best interest' to be attacked, forcibly dressed in wedding clothes and all but dragged before a priest to marry a girl that herself had been coerced into agreeing to a marriage that would utterly DESTROY the honor of all involved?

"No, Saotome-san," Nabiki stated, "I DON'T think you, your wife, or my own father, as 'parents', know what is in the 'best interest' of your children! And as for 'respect', that is EARNED and goes both ways! I extended the same amount of respect to you and your wife that I grant to anyone else that I encounter for the first time on a day-to-day basis, upon our first meeting. Whether that respect 'grew' or 'diminished' was entirely dependent upon your own actions and words. So, if I seem 'disrespectful' towards you... consider it fairly earned on your parts!"

"Young lady... and I use that term in its loosest sense," Nodoka growled through her teeth, while sitting rigidly erect. "We are older and wiser than you, a mere child, and demand the respect that is our due as your elders!"

"Older, yes," Nabiki stated matter-of-factly. "Wiser? I haven't seen any evidence of it. And while I may be younger, I have already learned one very important fact of life... older DOES NOT, in any way, shape, or form, mean wiser!"

"A very good point indeed, Child," a wizened voice spoke up as Ku Lon hopped into the room from the veranda, Xian Pu following. "A point, in fact, I would have done well to remember during my earliest encounters with Son-in-law. I was such a fool in my handling of the situation, so full of my own so-called 'wisdom' that I never bothered to question whether or not I was actually handling things in the most beneficial manner. And, as a result of my earlier foolishness, Xian Pu has yet to claim her husband."

"Great-grandmother?" Xian Pu asked, shocked that an Amazon Elder would admit to ANY weakness, let alone before Outsiders.

Ku Lon cackled with mirth at her great-granddaughter's shocked expression. "Are you so surprised, Child, that I would acknowledge not being perfect or as 'wise' as I often try to appear? Perfection is an unattainable goal, yet one worth striving for, and wisdom is where you find it."

"The first step towards true wisdom..." Nabiki began.

"...is first acknowledging how little you know," Ku Lon finished. "The second step, is understanding that knowledge and experience are not the same thing, nor do they always come together and neither is fully dependent upon the passage of time. Why... some of the wisest words I'd ever heard spoken, were uttered from the lips of a four-year-old child."

"Really, Great-grandmother?" Xian Pu asked. "What were these words and who spoke them?"

"You spoke them, Child!" Ku Lon cackled. "Right after getting into your great-aunt's spice garden and making a mess of it. You just stood there, your face all red, your cheeks and lips swollen; sweat pouring off you as your great-aunt wound down from scolding you for making such a mess of her garden. And when she asked if you had learned you lesson and what that lesson had been, you stated, and I quote: Don't eat the little green-and-red peppers, they're HOT!"

As Xian Pu flushed bright red in embarrassment, Ku Lon continued to cackle and snickers made their way about the other occupants of the room, easing the previous tensions somewhat.

"Oh my goodness," Kasumi said entering the room from the kitchen, a serving tray containing a teapot and cups in her hands, and her own face flushed with humor. "That reminds me of the time Akane got into Mother's garden and ate some cayenne peppers. She couldn't taste anything else for a month afterwards."

Nabiki arched an eyebrow at that little tidbit of information. It could certainly explain a lot where her little sister's cooking was concerned.

"Thank you, Child!" Ku Lon politely stated accepting a cup of fine Wu Long tea from Kasumi and taking a sip. "Now then, I believe you were all discussing something to do with 'respect', before I so rudely interrupted and for which I apologize. Respect for whom and why, if I may ask?"

"Actually, we were discussing the so-called 'adults' behavior towards Ranma and his most recent problem," Nabiki said rather stiffly, her anger returning in an instant.

"A family matter, in fact," Nodoka added, glaring at Nabiki. "Which really does not concern anyone other the Saotome family!"

"As Ranma and your husband have been residing in our home for the past two years and by all indications will continue to do so," Nabiki returned. "And considering that Ranma is considered a member of my own family in all but fact, I feel fully justified in looking out for HIS 'best interests' as his own parents seem incapable of doing so."

"Where Airen?" Xian Pu spoke up before things could escalate any further. She wanted to see Ranma very badly as she hadn't seen him in several days and she wanted to learn about this new 'problem' from him.

Kasumi's expression became troubled as she considered the advisability of revealing Ranma's location or not. Nyoko was, without question, a beautiful baby, but she wasn't entirely human either, based on what Kasumi had seen of Xeris, and she didn't know how the Amazons would react to her.

Ku Lon's eyes focused on the eldest Tendo sister, noting her troubled expression, and correctly surmised that she was trying to decide on how to answer her great-granddaughter. Truthfully, Ku Lon could locate the boy herself, simply by seeking out his chi, but why waste the energy when another source was available? "From your expression, Child, I can see that you know where Son-in-law is," she stated. Both Nabiki and Kasumi looked to the Elder, then each other, before slowly nodding in agreement to the statement. "Then is there some reason you are reluctant to tell my great-granddaughter his location?"

Kasumi looked to Nabiki who, after a moment's consideration, shrugged her shoulders and said, "If she really wants to find him, she can. And they're going to find out sooner or later, anyway."

"He's upstairs in my room," Kasumi said with a sigh, "with Nyoko."

"Nyoko?" Xian Pu asked, looking puzzled at Kasumi, before her eyes narrowed. "Who Nyoko? Is obstacle?"

"NO!" both Nabiki and Kasumi yelled out before Xian Pu could move.

"Nyoko is NOT an obstacle!" Nabiki stated, getting up and placing herself between Xian Pu and the way to the stairs. "Don't you even THINK of harming her!"

"And who is this 'Nyoko', Tendo-san?" Ku Lon asked, noting that Nabiki had become far more protective of Ranma of late. The eldest Tendo sister also seemed to have grown more protective for some reason.

"Nyoko is Ranma's daughter," Kasumi stated without any fear or shame.

Ku Lon's eyes widened in shocked surprise, before quickly turning to her great-granddaughter who looked just as shocked and surprised as she was. Then Xian Pu's expression changed to one of anguish, anger and pain, before she leapt forward, shoving Nabiki aside and rushing up the stairs. Ku Lon quickly followed her great-granddaughter, knowing she had to stop her from doing something reckless. Reaching the top of the stairs, she swiftly moved towards the far end of the hallway, shouting out, _" Xian Pu! Stand down! "_

Ku Lon came to the end of the hall to find Xian Pu standing before the open door to Kasumi's bedroom, her entire body trembling. Whether from sorrow or anger, Ku Lon chose not enquire at the moment as she moved up beside her great-granddaughter to peer into the room. Within the room, Ranma-chan was gently rocking a crying baby in her arms, softly cooing in an attempt to calm it. Xian Pu's slumping against the doorframe drew her attention away from the baby and to the two Amazons.

Ku Lon watched with intense interest as Ranma-chan seemed to instinctively place as much of her own body between them and the baby as she could, while keeping them within her sight, and slowly beginning to edge towards the nearest window while continuing to try and calm the baby.

"It's okay, Nyoko. Daddy's right here. I'm not going to let them hurt you," Ranma calmly whispered to her daughter, but still loud enough for Ku Lon to hear.

A moment later, the rest of the household arrived, crowding the hallway behind the Amazons, with Nabiki and Kasumi trying to wedge the others aside and gain entry to the bedroom. Xian Pu stepped aside, allowing the elder sisters of her main rival to enter, while Ku Lon cautiously followed the two, only to immediately stop when Ranma-chan stepped closer to the window and appeared to be about to jump through it. Kasumi stopped as well, once Nabiki reached Ranma and Nyoko.

"Tell me, Child, is that newborn of Ranma's blood?" Ku Lon asked quietly, while watching the interaction between her Son-in-law and Nabiki, whom she noticed was now also keeping herself between the baby and the Amazons.

"If you are asking if Ranma-chan is the birth-mother, or if Ranma-kun is the sire, of Nyoko... no, on both counts," Kasumi responded, taking a seat upon her bed. From her closer position to them, Kasumi could barely hear Nabiki quietly talking and trying to keep Ranma-chan from jumping out the window with Nyoko. Or at least, that was the part she could make out.

"So you no give birth to Airen's baby?" Xian Pu asked of Kasumi, before directing the same question at Nabiki without waiting for an answer.

"Heavens, Child, none of Son-in-law's other women, which we know of, could have given birth to that baby or we would have seen the progress months ago!" Ku Lon sighed in exasperation. She couldn't believe that her own flesh and blood could be THAT stupid.

"Great-grandmother consider what know of Airen's life," Xian Pu fired back with an almost patronizing glare, "and then tell Xian Pu that it no entirely possible!"

Ku Lon opened her mouth to do exactly that, but then stopped, mouth still open as memories of all the seemingly impossible things that occurred around her Son-in-law came to the fore. Her mouth closed with an audible snap. "Good point, Great-granddaughter," Ku Lon admitted, before turning a scrutinizing eye upon the two sisters and then Ranma-chan. "However, neither of their auras is that of a woman that has undergone childbirth. Nor does Son-in-law possess such an aura."

Ku Lon's comments elicited a snort from Ranma-chan, who shifted the baby in her arms slightly to a more comfortable position and finally allowed Ku Lon a clear view of the baby's features, especially the baby's oddly spotted blonde hair. She almost gasped in amazement and awe as a bit of ancient Amazon lore was suddenly recalled. If she was correct in her suspicions as to the baby's heritage, her Son-in-law was holding the stuff of legends in her arms. "Son-in-law..." she asked slowly, hoping and yet daring not to, "is that baby... a were-creature?"

Kasumi and Nabiki looked concernedly towards Ranma-chan as she held the baby even closer to herself and stepped back against Nabiki, trying to move even closer to the window. All the consoling the middle sister had done had been undone with that single question from Ku Lon. Ranma-chan was ready to bolt.

"You can't have her, Old Ghoul!" Ranma-chan flatly growled. And it was that 'growling' quality to her voice that surprised and worried everyone in the room, as it readily brought to mind just how dangerous Ranma could be when he, or she at the moment, went 'cat'. "I don't care what your 'laws' say, you can't have her, and I won't let you harm her!"

"Please, Son-in-law, just answer my question," Ku Lon said in as calm and soothing of a tone as she could manage, while continuing to look over the baby as best she could. "Is that baby a were-creature? We are not so barbaric as to take a child from its mother."

"MY SON IS NO ONE'S MOTHER!" Genma shouted into the room, causing Nyoko to wail at the sudden and loud noise. All eyes focused on the only male Saotome in the room, who took a quick step or two back into the hall, as the majority of the gazes upon him were anything but friendly. "He's not," Genma said in a much lower volume. "In fact, if he's so worried about raising the little brat properly, he should marry Akane this very minute, so it'll have a REAL mother!"

"You're absolutely right, Saotome. And no one else will marry EXCEPT those two!" Soun stated, as if it was an indisputable fact and ordained by Kami-sama himself. Unfortunately, that didn't settle all that well with the two fiancées present and they were about to display just how 'disputable' such a statement was, violently. Ukyo pulled her battle-spatula from its harness on her back and Xian Pu was about to bring forth her paired bonbori when Ku Lon stopped her and pushed her away from the doorway.

"THAT'S IT!" the redhead snarled, and this time there was no mistaking the feline quality to her voice or the rumbling growl that filled the room and continued to do so, as she passed a still wailing Nyoko into a surprised Nabiki's arms and began to slowly stalk towards the two men. Ku Lon's eyes widened in shock when she noted the flickering of claws made of chi emerging from the tips of Ranma-chan's fingers, before they were obscured from view by the manifestation of Ranma-chan's battle aura which shifted between blue and red for a moment before settling on a light-purple. Ranma-chan may not have slipped into the Neko-ken, but she was dangerously close to doing so, hovering just close enough to the brink to manifest some of its qualities and her battle aura shouldn't have shifted colors so readily. "This has gone on long enough!" Ranma-chan growled, jumping the fathers and brutally hammering and kicking at the two, driving them back down the hallway to kick them both down the stairs. "I'm SICK of everyone trying to control MY LIFE, and I'll be DAMNED if I'll allow any of you to try and interfere in my DAUGHTER'S! I ain't marryin' ANYONE! Not today, not tomorrow, maybe never! And if you even THINK of trying to take my baby awa--" Ranma-chan's eyes suddenly rolled back in their sockets and she collapsed to the floor, allowing the two cowering men to see Ku Lon standing over the now unconscious Ranma-chan, her staff still raised from utilizing a shiatsu pressure point to render the furious redhead unconscious.

"We were not going to get anywhere while she was like that," the Amazon Elder stated, as the two elder Tendo sisters rushed forward to examine Ranma-chan's unconscious form. "Do not worry yourselves; she will regain consciousness in only a few minutes. Now tell me, is that child a were-creature?"

Nabiki glanced down at Nyoko, unconsciously tightening her grip, and then looked back up at Ku Lon. There was no profit in keeping Nyoko's heritage from the Amazon Elder, but there may be some if... "So what if she is? What then?"

Ku Lon stepped slowly closer to the middle sister and gently pulled aside the blanket to see the baby more fully. "And what did her mother look like? What animal did she most resemble?"

Kasumi, having repositioned Ranma-chan onto her back with her head resting in her lap, decided to answer that question, "She looked like a cheetah."

The Amazon Elder nodded knowingly, as if Kasumi's statement was merely acknowledging what she'd already surmised, before stepping back and bowing, deeply, towards Nabiki and Nyoko. When Xian Pu didn't immediately follow suit, Ku Lon's staff flashed up to strike her abdomen and bend her over in a similarly deep bow and struggling to regain her breath. "We apologize for any inconvenience, Tendo-san. Please, inform Son-in-... Ranma that I would like to speak with her later, at her convenience, once she has settled in taking care of one of the Great Races. Come, Xian Pu, there is much to discuss and things we must do." With that, she hopped down the stairs and out of the Tendo-ke. Xian Pu hesitated a moment, looking pensively towards Ranma-chan, then Nyoko, and finally Nabiki, before turning about and rushing after her great-grandmother.

Ukyo stood there in the hallway, at a loss for anything to say as she watched the two sisters caring for HER Ranchan. Maybe she could still win Ranma over by helping to care for the baby until she recovered and could see how good of a mother she'd make. She started to walk towards the two sisters, her mouth beginning to open with an offer of assistance, but she was stopped with a glare from Nabiki. That glare stated in no uncertain terms that it was time for her to leave the Tendo-ke or there would be trouble that could take her years to fix, if ever. With a sigh, Ukyo left them to care for her fiancé and her future stepdaughter, hoping that she would have better luck the following day.

The Saotome matriarch was frustrated, angry, and she didn't really know what to do. She wanted to tell her son that he wasn't behaving in a manly fashion and that it would only be proper to turn over the care of his daughter to her, a real woman and his own mother. And she also wanted to bring that insolent and disrespectful child, Nabiki, to heel for her malicious and unwarranted behavior towards her earlier. Whether her son respected her or feared her was irrelevant, in any case, so long as he obeyed her and followed her wishes. It would be easier, for everyone, if he respected her and obeyed her without question, but she was his mother, she knew what was best for her son and her grandchild, and that was all there was to it. Nodoka watched as Kasumi lifted her son-turned-daughter from the floor and carried her back to her own room, Nabiki following behind carrying the baby and came to a decision. Yes, she would reprimand Nabiki later, seeing as Soun obviously wasn't man enough to keep his daughter's in line. Right now, however, she wished to speak with her son and so headed for the kitchen to produce the first requirement to do so.

Nabiki watched as the matriarch of the Saotome family left the four of them in the hallway to fend for themselves, obviously with a goal in mind as her stride was swift and determined. 'Whatever she's planning can't be good,' she thought, following Kasumi into her bedroom and watching her arrange the redhead upon the bed comfortably. Feeling Nyoko begin to squirm about in her arms, Nabiki took a quick peek inside her diaper and scowled. Yep, time for a diaper change. Potty training wouldn't come soon enough, in her opinion. Dealing with dirty diapers was the one aspect of babies that Nabiki absolutely hated. But then, who didn't? Spying the knapsack next to the 'Pack-N-Play' crib, Nabiki released a sigh and got the task over with as quickly, efficiently, and gently as possible. Task completed, Nabiki carried Nyoko over to Kasumi's bed and lay her down beside Ranma-chan, before sitting upon the bed herself.

"I think things have changed between Ranma and everyone else," Nabiki said softly, beginning to gently tickle Nyoko's tummy. "And not all for the better. Although I am curious as to what Cologne wants to talk to Ranma about."

Kasumi nodded, taking her own place upon the bed on the opposite side of the slumbering redhead. She began to gently run her fingers through the smaller girl's hair, before looking over to her sister. "What do you think Ranma-kun should do, Imotochan?"

"I don't know, Kasumi. I honestly don't know," Nabiki replied sadly. "There's too many variables to come up with any quick and simple answer."

-X-X-X-

Across an ocean and half a continent away from Nerima, Japan, on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, a telephone began to ring. After a few minutes of annoying ringing, a feminine hand plucked the receiver from its cradle and lifted it to the crook of a redhead's neck, before the hand returned to holding the bottle upon which an eight-month-old baby contentedly suckled.

"Hello. Diggers residence," Julia Brigand Diggers spoke.

"Julia?" queried a wizened voice in response from the other end of the line.

"This is she."

"Julia, it's Ku Lon," the Amazon Elder identified herself. Then, after an obvious pause, "I need to speak to your husband."

"Of course, Elder Ku Lon. Might I ask what for?" Julia questioned. The last time she had heard from the Amazon Elder had been when she'd been asked to take part in a ritual.

"It's in regard to something I've come across here in Japan."

"Alright, just a moment." Julia set the phone down on the counter before moving to the hallway adjacent to the kitchen. "Theo! Ku Lon's on the phone with something important!" She returned to the phone and placed the receiver back to her ear as she rocked little Britanny in her arms as she finished eating. Once she heard Theo pick up the phone in his den, she replaced the receiver in its cradle.

"How are you, Elder Ku Lon?" Theodore Diggers asked, sitting back in his desk chair comfortably.

"I'm doing well for my age, Dr. Diggers," Ku Lon responded with a half-hearted sigh. "I need your advice on a pupil of mine. I believe he's developing abilities similar to what you Aura Mages manifest."

"Is that so?" Theo asked, not really expecting an answer as he leaned over to retrieve one of his earlier books on magic from the bookshelf. "What have you noticed so far?"

"Only feelings of aura-based magic coming from his place of residence and an odd shifting of colors in his battle aura," Ku Lon answered, sounding as if she were losing her finest pupil in the Art of War to another Art that she could not teach. "Could you come here, to Japan, that's where I'm residing at the moment?"

"Certainly, Elder, I would be honored to meet this pupil of yours if they were good enough to catch your interest in teaching them. Now they appear to have some ability with magic? I'm not just honored to meet them, I'm eager," Theo said with a smile, picking up a pen and a sheet of paper. "Just give me your address and I can be there in a few days, if that's alright? We added a new family member in our home a couple of months ago and I'd like to bring my family with me."

"Oh? And who is this 'new' family member might I ask? Did your daughter Gina discover a magic lamp and wish for a younger sibling?" the Amazon chuckled. "Or did Julia 'work' it out of you the old-fashioned way?"

"Actually... I saved her from a massacre in Scotland," Theo stated quietly, "between the werewolves and werecheetahs." Ku Lon's chuckling abruptly ceased and nothing could be heard from her end of the line for several moments, almost as if the phone line had been severed. "Elder?"

"Which one is she?"

"A werecheetah. She's the last of her kind."

"I think you may want to get over here as quickly as possible, Theodore. I might have some good news to go along with introducing you to your new pupil."

-X-X-X-

Omake from Innortal:

Across an ocean, on the edge of Atlanta, Georgia, a telephone rang. After a few minutes of ringing, a hand plucked the receiver from its place and put it up to their ear while feeding an eight-month-old baby.

"THIS HAD BETTER BE DAMNED IMPORTANT!" Answered the female voice of Julia Diggers, currently outside the bedroom of her home, wrapped in a sheet.

And thus, we learned where Gina and Brianna got their passion for nookie from.


	4. Discussions and Past Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own either Ranma ½ or Gold Digger, all rights are reserved to their respective owners, Rumiko Takahashi and Fred Perry.

AN: Yes this is a new chapter. No it's not a teaser. With some of the reviews I've been getting, saying that there isn't any reason why such and such can't occur because of this. Well here's your 'taste' of why such and such can occur and some of what happened after the wedding. It will also give you the reason WHY Akane is acting like she was in the first three chapters.

And no, I wont explain here exactly what happened after the wedding, you'll get that information soon. I'm still working on it. If you want a brief rundown, go to my profile and click on the link at the bottom of it.

-X-X-X-

Love of a Cheetah – Chapter 4

-X-X-X-

Ranma-chan awoke to the sounds of a softly gurgling baby, along with the cooing of the two elder Tendo sisters. Looking around lazily from her laid-back position, she could see the two sisters near the foot of the bed playing gently with Nyoko. She almost slipped back into the arms of Morpheus when she suddenly recalled what had been occurring before finding herself waking up on Kasumi's bed. Lurching upright into a sitting position, she rapidly scanned the room for the presence of the Amazons or the fathers.

"It's okay, Ranma," Nabiki said, looking over to her and correctly guessing the cause of Ranma-chan's sudden return to wakefulness. "The Amazons returned to the Nekohanten and our baka fathers have likely run off to the nearest bar. No doubt bemoaning and whining about yet another failed attempt to 'unite the schools', while simultaneously trying to think of ways to keep your other fiancées from taking advantage of the new situation."

"Hmmm, speaking of 'fiancées', I wonder how that nice woman, Cousteau-san, is doing now that she's married the father of her child," Kasumi pondered aloud, before unintentionally answering a question Nabiki had often wondered about but had yet to put to Ranma. "She invited Ranma-kun to her wedding in Paris and even left him a plane ticket so he could attend, wasn't that nice of her?"

"So THAT'S how you were able to disappear on your 'training trip' and not leave a clue as to where you'd gone," Nabiki stated, looking at Ranma-chan accusingly. "No one, not even I, would have suspected you to FLY out of Japan. I am disappointed though, how could you even think of flying away to France and not take me with you?"

"Well... you see..." Ranma-chan nervously explained, almost fearful of what the middle sister would demand of her to make up for that particular oversight in her previous plans, having known of Nabiki's desire for world travel. Ranma-chan knew she owed Nabiki a stress-relieving night, in her current female-form no less, if that's what she desired. And thanks to some of Lisette's bridesmaids and a slight overindulgence of champagne after the wedding, Ranma-chan was finally willing and able to grant Nabiki unlimited access to BOTH of her forms. Unfortunately, with all that had been happening since her return from her 'trip' they simply hadn't had the time or energy to slip away together. And Nyoko's arrival had made that possibility even more remote.

"Out with it, Saotome," Nabiki growled softly, although she never ceased tickling Nyoko's tummy or raised her voice. "You know how much I want to see places like Paris."

"I'm sorry, Nabs," she finally sighed. "I needed to get away... alone. And not just to train, but to think about all the problems I've got and how to solve them... if they can even be solved. I'd been planning that 'training trip' for a while, but couldn't find a way to do it without havin' everyone chase after me and ruin the whole purpose behind goin' on it," Ranma-chan explained sadly, crawling down the length of the bed to her daughter and lifting her into her arms. Nyoko wiggled about a little, making herself comfortable, before looking up at her new mother and reaching up with one tiny hand to paw softly against her breast as if she knew she was sad. "Then Lisette showed up... and left that ticket... It was too good of an opportunity to pass up and required only a little adjustment to the plans I'd already made."

Kasumi leaned over and hugged the pseudo-girl, knowing that she was already under a great deal of stress and that the last thing she needed to think was that she would have to face all of her problems alone, which wasn't true. Stroking Ranma-chan's arm in a soothing manner, Kasumi lightly traced the fingers of her remaining hand along Nyoko's arm as well and found herself wishing that she could be this beautiful child's stepmother. Seeing Nabiki raise her hand to gently caress Ranma-chan's cheek and neck, she recalled how the two of them had been so open with each other, calmly discussing their lives and feelings, in the dojo when they'd thought no one could hear them, just the day prior to Cousteau-san's arrival. Kasumi also recalled that the only other person that Nabiki had ever been that open with had been their mother, and while it was true that Kasumi had taken up many of their late mother's duties and responsibilities and Nabiki had, in many ways, looked to her for comfort in that role... Nabiki had only rarely been as open with her. If Nabiki could do so with Ranma and Ranma with her, then perhaps the two should remain together. She only hoped that... there might be room in their lives for one other.

Nabiki knew that Ranma-chan was feeling extremely stressed at the moment, wondering if every day would be like the one she'd just gone through and wondering if her parents would continue to try to control every aspect of her life... and Nyoko's. Now that the redhead was a parent in her own right, she was trying to be the best parent that she could be for her child, under extremely trying circumstances. Nabiki could only hope that whoever Ranma-chan was getting her lessons from knew about her curse... and her feelings about that curse. Right now, however, Ranma-chan did not need any more stress added to what she was already dealing with. "Okay, Ranma, I'll let you off the hook... for now. But you owe me a trip to Paris. In the meantime, though, you can ask for our assistance in caring for Nyoko whenever you need it," the middle sister said with a smile, looking to her elder sister and receiving a nod of agreement. Just then, a knock came upon Kasumi's open bedroom door that brought all three young women's attention to the person standing in the doorway.

Nodoka Saotome stood there, steaming kettle in hand, as she stared back at them her face stern. The fact that she didn't seem to have her ever-present silk-wrapped katana in hand was cause for only a minor lessening of the room's tension. "I've come to speak with my SON," Nodoka stated, stressing the last and holding the kettle out. "Alone, if you two don't mind. In regards to matters dealing strictly with the SAOTOME family."

Ranma-chan looked at the two sisters first, wondering if they knew what her mother was wanting to talk about. Kasumi gave her a shrug at the unspoken question, while Nabiki leaned over and whispered into her ear, "She probably wants to talk about Nyoko and how she is to be raised. And by whom." Nabiki paused, then added, "She may also advise that you have no further contact with me, seeing as I dared to question her own qualifications as a mother... Let alone a good one."

Ranma-chan leaned back in slight surprise at that, looking into the face of her friend. And yet, she'd found herself asking the same questions in regards to Nodoka Saotome's abilities recently... and not liking the conclusions she'd been coming to. Giving Nabiki a nod of understanding, she carefully slid off the bed and adjusted Nyoko more comfortably in her arms.

Nodoka took notice that her child was intending to bring the baby with her, noting how she moved with the utmost care not to jostle the baby too much. Had she herself looked that caring for her child's comfort and welfare when she'd held Ranma in her own arms oh so long ago? Not willing to allow him out of her sight for the longest time, until her husband took him on that ill-fated training journey. "Leave the child, Son," Nodoka stated, her tone stern, while suppressing the emotions that had arisen. "Our... talk... will not take long, but we can do without any distractions it may cause."

Ranma-chan looked at her mother, slightly offended that she'd referred to Nyoko so... impersonally, as if she were an inanimate object rather than a living person. Still, did she want Nyoko to be in same room wherein a possible confrontation was about to occur? No, she did not want Nyoko present in such a potentially hostile environment, especially if things progressed as they had previously. Looking back at the two sisters, she walked over to them and smiled when, without any prompting, Nabiki reached up to gently accept Nyoko into her own arms. "Take care of her for me. Both of you?"

"Of course, Ranma-kun," Kasumi said gently, her tone soothing. "You need not even ask."

Ranma-chan nodded and, in an incredibly bold and impulsive moment for her, quickly leaned over to place a quick kiss on both sisters' cheeks, before turning about and striding over to her own mother. Taking the offered kettle, she poured just enough of its contents over her head to trigger the change back into his male form. Nodoka, without a word, handed him a small towel and quickly turned about, striding imperiously towards the guest room he shared with his father.

Ranma watched her walk away with a forlorn expression, somehow sensing that his mother had already made some decisions that would affect Nyoko and himself. And, as usual, had not even considered acquiring any input from those that her decisions would affect the most. Releasing a sigh, he quickly altered his expression, before looking back at the three on Kasumi's bed. "Be good for daddy," he instructed calmly, before breaking out into a grin and adding as a parting shot before ducking out of sight, "Oh and you behave yourself, too, Nyoko."

"Wha-..." Nabiki started, once she caught on to just what Ranma had said, while Kasumi tried to smother her snickers at Nabiki's disgruntled expression. "That boy's getting entirely too cheeky with his comments."

"Oh, I don't know," Kasumi giggled, "I can think of a time or two when you deserved a good spanking."

"Speaking from experience, Sis?" Nabiki asked with a knowing expression. "I've read some of those cheesy 'bodice ripper' novels of yours, too. Just how often have you fantasized about 'Daddy' Ranma, or should that be 'Master', taking you over his knee and spanking your bare bottom for being such a 'naughty' girl?"

Kasumi refused to answer that question, verbally, or meet her now smirking sister's gaze... but her intense blush spoke volumes.

----

Ryouga's eyes opened slowly to behold the ceiling of the Tendo's kitchen. Staring at the ceiling, he tried to reason out just how he'd come be lying on the floor looking at the ceiling in the first place. Obviously, he'd lost consciousness, somehow, but he couldn't immediately recall how. Let's see, he'd been in Kyoto... well, he'd been pretty sure it was Kyoto... he'd stepped around the corner of a building or something and everything had suddenly gotten dark, like during one of those solar eclipse things only much darker... hearing voices in the darkness, he'd cautiously moved towards them, only to realize that he'd somehow gotten into an extremely small room... feeling something before him, he pushed a bit and a door opened letting in light, which momentarily blinded him... he'd stepped out of the small room, while holding onto the door and, as his vision adjusted to the light, found himself looking into a pantry. How had he ended up in someone's pantry? Looking it over, he also couldn't determine how he could have possibly fit in such a small space to begin with. Then, he'd heard what sounded like Ranma's girl-voice calling his name from behind him... he'd turned around and... there had been Ranma-chan, her blouse lifted to expose her generous assets, and suckling upon one of the glorious orbs had been... A BABY?

Ryouga sat bolt upright in shock, then grabbed his nose and squeezed, hard, as the vision of Ranma-chan suckling a newborn babe played repeatedly before his mind's eye. Just how long had he actually been away from Nerima? Had Nabiki somehow gotten Ranma-chan pregnant? If the child had been Nabiki's, then shouldn't she have been the one feeding the baby? What did this mean for him? Was Nabiki going to call in her 'favor' and have him marry Ranma-chan, so they could claim him as the father? Would he have Ranma-chan for a wife and... Nabiki as a mistress, part-time co-husband?

A meaty thwack resounded throughout the Tendo kitchen as Ryouga belted himself in the face to dispel the images of himself in bed with a nude Ranma-chan and Nabiki. The LAST thing he needed right now was to faint again. Besides, despite his curse, Ranma was a GUY! Just because he had a drop-dead gorgeous female body and he'd had a baby didn't change that ironclad fact. Right? Right. Now if he could just convince the rest of his body of that fact...

Lurching to his feet, Ryouga realized that he needed to talk to either Ranma or Nabiki, preferably the former as he was already in WAY too deep with the latter. Stepping out of the kitchen and into the main room of the house, Ryouga looked around uncertainly. No one was around and he was more than a little uncertain about trying to explore the large house on his own. It wasn't that he couldn't do it; it was just that he didn't want to waste any time getting the answers to his question. Then, inspiration struck.

"Ranma Saotome! This is all your fault!" he yelled out. It probably wasn't true in this case, as Ryouga just couldn't imagine Ranma as WANTING to have a baby, but his yelling usually attracted the attention of anyone nearby and he didn't really know where Ranma or Nabiki were at the moment.

Right after he'd yelled, he heard the front door open and slam shut, followed by stomping footsteps. A moment later and Akane 'Hurricane' Tendo came storming into view from down the hall. Now, in the past, Akane's obvious state of displeasure would have given Ryouga yet another reason to be upset with Ranma, whether he'd actually done anything to the youngest Tendo or not, and spurred on another attack upon the Saotome heir. However, things were anything but normal at the moment, and as much as he'd like to visit with Akane, he really needed to find Ranma or Nabiki. There was also the fact that he knew Ranma was having difficulties with Akane and that whatever feelings Ranma had had for her, especially after the failed wedding, seemed to be waning, which translated into Ryouga becoming less eager to show Akane how protective of her he could be. As he turned to go, however, intending to leave the youngest Tendo alone to calm down, she caught sight of him and rushed forward to grab his arm.

"Ryouga! How nice of you to drop in," Akane said with a smile and immediately began leading him by the arm over to the low table in the center of the room, practically dragging him along in her wake when he didn't immediately move to follow. "What brings you by?"

"Um... Actually, I came looking for Ranma..." Ryouga knew he must have said the wrong thing, as Akane's left eye began to twitch warningly that he was treading on thin ice.

"What could you possibly want to see that pervert for, anyway? I thought you hated him?" Akane pushed as her brows furrowed angrily.

"Well, I... uh... need to ask him a favor." The Lost Boy started to sweat under the scrutinizing gaze of the dark-haired girl. "I was supposed to meet my mother at home and... well, Ranma remembers where I live and I was hoping that he could..."

Akane, however, was no longer listening as Ryouga continued to talk. 'Grrr... How dare that pervert try to make Ryouga BEG to lead him home to visit his mother. I'll show that pervert that not even that baby will save him from being punished as he deserves,' Akane fumed. It had been a long, frustrating, day for Akane, with everyone harassing her for information about the pervert and his bastard child, especially the girls that wanted to know if he was free to date with them now that Akane had loudly proclaimed their engagement null and void. Of course, he wasn't free to do so! Not as long as she was around to keep the pervert from despoiling and dishonoring other girls and getting them pregnant with his bastard children.

"I'm sure that pervert won't help you, Ryouga," Akane said, breaking into Ryouga's monologue about how his mother loved to bake cookies and other sweets for himself and Ranma back when they were attending junior high together. "He's far too busy messing around with his fiancées, and any other girl he can sweet talk into spreading her legs, to help you out. The coward even keeps that baby within arm's reach to protect himself from being properly punished, using it as a shield."

"Huh... What? You mean that baby's his?" Ryouga asked, watching her and hoping he could get even more information on the baby without having to pay Nabiki's outrageous prices.

"Of course it's his! Less than a week after the wedding fiasco, this gaijin whore came strutting in here, claiming she was pregnant and that Ranma was the father. I'll never forget the way she was dressed like one of those cheap streetwalkers you see in all the movies that take place in France, practically falling out of her clothes and all but throwing herself at the pervert's feet." Akane's face clearly displayed her disgust at the memory. It's funny, though, how one's memory of past events can be strongly influenced by one's preconceived notions and when a few overheard words are taken out of context.

Flashback

Akane stormed up the stairs towards her room, more than a little upset at recent events. Some gaijin floozy, dressed up like a French streetwalker and practically falling out of what little she was wearing, had come seeking Ranma, just like so many others. Naturally, she was a fiancée, of course. Why else would she come looking for the pervert? But the hussy hadn't even waited for all of the introductions to be made before asking to be alone with the pervert, to talk. 'Yeah, right,' Akane snorted in derision. 'More likely, she's just trying to get him alone to have her wicked way him... not that he'd do anything to stop her, of course.' Akane didn't like that thought, at all. 'He may be a worthless pervert, but he's MY worthless pervert! No one takes what is mine!' She silently fumed for a moment more, until her curiosity overwhelmed her, wanting to know what perverted things the two were doing to each other, so she could catch them in the act and dole out proper punishment for doing such perverted things in HER home.

Akane made her way down to the dojo as silently and stealthily as she could, which meant that Kasumi easily heard her from the kitchen. But since Akane wasn't angrily stomping her way about, Kasumi just went on with her preparation of some snacks for later that evening. Reaching the closed door to the dojo, Akane carefully placed her ear against it, struggling to hear what was taking place inside.

"...the father of my child... I also... wish for you to... seek me out for marriage..." Akane heard Lisette's muffled voice through the door, followed by Ranma's laughter. She pulled away from the door and shook her head, disbelieving what she'd heard.

"That couldn't be... She's pregnant? With Ranma's child?" Akane whispered aloud, before returning her ear to the door and listening intently.

"...going to... marry...?" Ranma asked.

"...can pleasure a woman... you would... been perfect..." Lisette laughed.

With that last bit of evidence, Akane quietly moved away from the door, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to make some sense of what she'd overheard. 'No. I can't lose him. He can't be the father... Can he?' Akane knew that if that Cousteau woman was speaking the truth, then Ranma must have been seeing her for quite some time in order to get her pregnant with his child. Even before their latest adventure to China. She ran up the stairs to her room and slammed the door closed, jumping onto her bed and burying her face in her pillow, letting her tears soak into them.

She needed to get out. She needed to talk to someone. Someone who would understand how she was feeling. Not her family, though. Even Kasumi wouldn't really understand. Her friends? They wouldn't mind, surely. They always supported her when it came to anything involving Ranma. Quickly, she gathered a few things and tossed them into an overnight bag. She'd sneak out of the house and call her friends from the payphone just down the street; surely, she could spend the night with one of them and talk about everything that had happened.

End Flashback

Akane continued to fume over her memories of those events. Obviously, that gaijin whore had discovered just how much trouble the perverted baka could be and dumped him like a bad habit once the baby had been born and her reputation was no longer in jeopardy. Probably a quickie divorce and she even saddled the baka with their kid. Which only aggravated things in Nerima, especially for Akane, if that morning's events had been any indication.

The Lost Boy sat at the table, watching a softly growling Akane carefully, knowing that if he was going to get the chance to talk to Ranma about what was going on he'd need to do so away from the others, especially Akane. Heck, he actually hoped that Nabiki would make an appearance as she could at least arrange a meeting with Ranma so they could talk and spar for a while... for a price, of course, but it was still better than being around an upset Akane.

----

Ranma slid the door shut behind him and then moved to sit opposite his mother in the center of the guest room that he and his father had been using for the last couple of years. He believed that he could handle this discussion with his mother just as Nabiki had taught him a little after the failed wedding. He did, however, take note that his mother's ever-present katana was once in evidence, lying on the floor beside her within easy reach.

"Ranma, the way you were behaving earlier did not meet with my idea of 'manliness'. I did not raise you to suckle a child at your own breast," Nodoka started, pausing to take in a deep breath and gather her wandering thoughts away from the middle Tendo daughter. "Nor did I raise you to not listen to your mother."

'It would have helped if you had raised me at all, 'Kaasan.' Ranma decided that he couldn't let her push HER idea of manliness upon him while he was raising Nyoko. "'Kaasan, I really don't think--"

"Son, it's not polite to interrupt someone who's talking," Nodoka interrupted admonishingly. "Now, where was I... Ah, yes." She quickly got herself back on track; the baby was the next item on the list to discuss with her son. "That was very rude to take the baby away from me as I knew she wasn't hungry. Are you trying to force that food onto the baby? You should have let me handle it," the Saotome matriarch stated, frowning at her son.

"'Kaasan, please. She was getting hungry and--" Ranma tried to explain once more that he would be taking care of Nyoko himself, before Nodoka once again interrupted him.

"Honestly, Son. How could you let that disrespectful child believe that you fear me, when you've done everything that I've asked. It's disgraceful that she's so independent and opinionated. She should be more like her sister, Kasumi." Nodoka clasped her hands together and looked upwards her eyes glistening, "Kasumi would give me lots of grandbabies if you married her. Or took her as a mistress, after you've married Akane."

Growing impatient at his mother's complete disregard for his own input in their discussion, Ranma once again tried to make her understand his own thoughts and ideas concerning the topic of discussion. "'Kaasan, I am not marrying Akane."

"Of course you are, dear. Now, I think that until you do marry Akane, and decide which of your other fiancées to take as your mistresses, I should adopt the baby into the Saotome Clan as your sister..." Nodoka smiled at the thought. Oh, Nyoko would make such a wonderful daughter, and she could finally teach a daughter how to be a 'proper' Japanese lady.

"No," Ranma growled lowly, his patience at an end.

"What was that?" Nodoka asked, her son's tone of voice snapping her out of her dreams of the future with her new daughter. Actually looking at her son now, she noticed that he was trembling slightly and surrounded by a dim glow... his battle aura.

"I said 'no'," Ranma growled out louder, feeling that he needed to protect his child from this woman. "You will NOT adopt her as YOUR daughter. You will NOT take her from me. And you will NOT force me into marrying that irrational and overly violent tomboy! I will raise MY daughter as I SWORE on my HONOR to do, as Nyoko's birth mother intended! And not you, nor anyone else will do that for me!"

Ranma rose to his feet, glaring down at the woman that claimed to be a mother, his mother, while struggling to keep his anger in check. Finally, as the seconds passed, he was able to rein in his anger, calming himself, as he came to a decision that had been forced upon him. Turning away from Nodoka, he strode over to where his backpack, still fully packed from his recent trip, was propped against the wall alongside his father's. He was about to lift his pack onto his back when a stray thought crossed his mind as his gaze lingered on his father's backpack. Settling his own pack back against the wall, Ranma opened up his father's backpack and quickly began going through its contents. There, at the very bottom of the pack and beneath a poorly made false bottom, he found his father's stash of martial arts scrolls and manuals. Not wanting to waste any time sorting through them, Ranma simply transferred every last scroll and manual to his own backpack and lifted it onto his back, before turning about and striding to the door of the room.

Ranma paused in the doorway, after sliding the door open, and spoke to the woman he had, until now, addressed as 'Mother', but did not look back at her. "Just so you'll know, I never feared you or that damned seppuku pledge. I feared 'disappointing' you, the woman I THOUGHT was my mother. Now... I don't care anymore whether you're disappointed or not, as you've clearly shown that you could care less for me as a person and only intend to use me to attain the things you want. Only your own wants and desires matter to you, with even Honor being nothing more than a tool to attain those goals and its interpretation held captive to your whims." Then, without hesitation, Ranma stepped out into the hallway and slid the door shut behind him.

For long minutes, Nodoka looked after her departed son, her own body trembling in anger now. How DARE he say those things to HER! She was his MOTHER! She only wished for what was in his best interest and to free him of the burdens of raising a child at such a young age. And he DEFIED her! What did it matter if, in some small way, she benefited from her plans for her child's future? She wanted her grandchildren brought up properly and she was going to make certain that it happened just as she'd planned. Obviously, Genma had erred in raising their son on his own, making him too susceptible to the manipulations of the middle Tendo daughter.

Nodoka's hand instinctively grasped the silk-wrapped bundle beside her, squeezing it comfortingly, as she contemplated the likely reasons for her son's defiance of her will. She had not missed the fact that her child had seemed to be much friendlier to Nabiki the last few times she'd seen them together, almost intimately so. Nodoka's eyes narrowed as she considered the possibilities that thought raised. Nabiki was a 'modern' girl, through and through, hardly what anyone could even slightly consider to be 'ladylike'. It wasn't beyond reason to assume that she was manipulating Ranma through the use of her body and sexual favors. Nodoka had no problems with her son bedding the girl, although Nabiki's obviously loose morals rendered her completely unsuitable as a prospective wife, unlike Akane who was properly withholding her favors until she was properly married, and if she hadn't used her wiles to coerce Ranma into defying his own mother... well, Nabiki wasn't even suitable for the position of mistress any longer.

There was actually little Nodoka could do to punish Nabiki for her transgressions, although she fully intended to make her displeasure known to Nabiki's father and demand that he keep that demonic little bitch away from her child. And despite her son's earlier words, she knew for a fact that he DID care for the youngest Tendo daughter, at least. Perhaps it was time to have a serious talk with her prospective daughter-in-law about her future and the means by which it can be brought about. The Saotome women had always ruled their families with an iron will and absolute control of their husbands, but... occasionally, a softer approach was called for. Nodoka had admired Akane's ability to keep her son in line, but it was time to change her tactics if she was to regain her influence over Ranma from her elder sister. And while it was preferred that the bride go to her wedding bed unsullied... it wasn't absolutely essential. Besides, Ranma and Akane were already all but married in fact, so there would be no loss of honor if Akane should bed her future husband before they actually married.

Yes, that would do nicely. Nodoka would work on Akane, get her past her naiveté and teach her the means by which she can reassert her dominance over her wayward child. One way or another, her son would obey her wishes, even if indirectly.

"You may have sunk your claws into my son, Nabiki Tendo," she softly growled. "But you haven't won yet, this battle is just beginning."

----

Nabiki sat on the edge of her elder sister's bed, watching Nyoko yawning sleepily as Kasumi gently stroked her hair. It had already been a long day, with the fathers all but physically attacking Ranma and Nyoko, Ukyo attempting to insinuate herself into the mix and gain Ranma's favor, Nodoka trying to enforce her ideas of manliness and gain control of Nyoko's upbringing, and there had also been the yelling match that she'd walked into upon her arrival home. To make matters worse, the day wasn't even nearly over. She shared one of her few genuine smiles with her elder sister, when Kasumi had her fingers grabbed by Nyoko as she moved her hand to stroke the child's arm.

"Do you think Ranma-kun will be alright?" Kasumi quietly asked, concerned that Ranma would take Nyoko and leave without any warning or means of remaining in contact.

Nabiki pondered that question, thinking of how Nodoka had wanted to speak with Ranma alone. In his male form, no less. 'She must still think of Ranma as two people, her 'manly' son and the 'shameful' curse,' she thought. "I have no doubt that Saotome-san is attempting to reassert her control over Ranma, gain control of Nyoko, and cast me in as poor a light as possible," she finally responded. "She'll probably even forbid him from having anything to do with me."

"Why would she want to keep Ranma away from you?" Kasumi asked, knowing that the two had become quite... intimate before his training journey. During the months Ranma was gone from their house, she had managed to pry a fair amount of information about the 'Wild Horse' out of her younger sibling, not least of which was that he more than lived up to his namesake, in all respects. Those details alone had been more than enough to garner her interest in a possible 'ride' herself, and Ranma's rapidly developing sense of maturity only made him all that much more attractive to her.

"Possibly because we're much alike in some respects," Nabiki responded with a shrug, climbing carefully off the bed so as to not disturb the nearly asleep Nyoko more than necessary. Moving over beside the 'Pack-N-Play' crib, she idly traced the edges, only now taking notice that the material was adorned with pictures of animals commonly associated with Africa. "We both need to feel in control of our environments, most especially the people we associate with. The differences lie in the amount of control, which for Saotome-san is total, and to what extent we'll compromise, which for her is none. The major difference between us is that she sees other people as merely 'tools' to accomplish her own ends and not as 'people' with their own hopes and dreams."

"But, Nabiki-chan," Kasumi hesitantly began, "haven't you been accused of being the same?"

"Almost daily," Nabiki responded with a smirk. "Although it's occurring less often as I move away from my former business dealings at Furinkan. Unlike Saotome-san, however, I never insisted on having 'total' control of others, merely enough to accomplish the task I needed performed. Nor did I ignore their own hopes and dreams simply to advance my own. With me, it's always been a matter of 'give and take', or 'fair trade' if you prefer. Granted, I'll take as much as I can get and if you're not clever enough to do the same, well... That's the business world. But I've never taken 'everything' a person had, or asked more of them than they could reasonably do or wouldn't do on their own under different circumstances."

Kasumi thought about that for a moment, before deciding to move on to a different topic. "Do you think Ranma-kun will raise Nyoko properly?" Kasumi asked, softly stroking the baby's hair.

"'Properly', Sis?" Nabiki grunted. "By whose definition? What can be considered 'proper' varies with both time and location, as well as person. I think what you're really asking is: will Ranma do a better job at raising Nyoko than his parents did with him? Or... Daddy did with us? Only time will provide that answer. But he already knows, from first-hand experience, what NOT to do in raising her."

"That's certainly true," Kasumi sighed, before looking up from Nyoko as her bedroom door opened to allow Ranma to quietly enter.

"Well?" Nabiki quietly asked, as Ranma removed his backpack and leaned it against the wall, before moving over to the portable crib and beginning to dismantle it.

"Nyoko and I can't stay here," Ranma stated simply, continuing to work.

"But, where will you go?" Kasumi asked, frowning worriedly.

"I don't know," Ranma replied, pausing in his task as Nabiki knelt down beside him and began massaging his tense shoulder muscles. "I just know I can't stay here, or Kaa--... the Saotome house."

Nabiki winced at that. She'd expected Nodoka to push Ranma hard to accept her own decisions and viewpoints as to how things should be, but she hadn't expected his mother to push so hard that Ranma would decide to break away from his own family and strike out on his own. She also suspected that with Ranma gone, Nodoka would turn her anger towards herself, likely through her father. "The talk went that well, huh?" she softly asked.

"Yeah, right," Ranma all but spat. "She talked and I was supposed to listen and obey. That's HER idea of a 'talk'! She didn't even want to hear anything I had to say about things. And what she said boiled down to: I was going to marry Akane, take Kasumi and the other girls as my 'mistresses', and SHE'D raise Nyoko as my SISTER! Oh, and she doesn't like you very much, Nabs."

"The sentiments are becoming mutual," Nabiki sighed, moving to help him pack up the crib. Then she recalled Ku Lon's parting message. "By the way, Cologne wanted to talk to you."

Ranma grunted. "Yeah, I'll bet. She probably guessed how things were likely to turn sour here and is going to use it to get me AND Nyoko into her tribe." Ranma sighed, wearily. "I like Shampoo, and only a completely blind idiot wouldn't be able to see how beautiful she is. But, I can't trust her and I refuse to be treated as a second-class citizen in her village. So there's no way I'm going along with that ol' ghoul's plans."

"I don't think she'll try to take Nyoko by force, Ranma," Nabiki said. "She'd have to kill you in that case, or risk bringing your wrath down upon her village. No, Nyoko's changed things as far as the Amazon's go. I'm guessing that since you're now the parent or 'guardian' of one of the 'Great Races', different Amazon Laws have come into play and she's having to adjust her plans."

"'Great Races'?" Ranma asked, securing the crib to his pack, before shouldering it.

"That's how she referred to Nyoko," Kasumi stated, carefully picking up Nyoko and rising from her bed to walk over to them. "She was most respectful in her tone and actions. She even bowed to Nyoko and Nabiki when asking for you to come see her."

"Heh, yeah. She even had Shampoo do the same," Nabiki chuckled, before turning serious once more. "In any case, you won't learn what she's up to by avoiding her and we may learn something useful in the process."

"Fine. We'll go see the Ol' Ghoul," Ranma sighed, already trying to plan for what he'd do after said meeting. Staying at the Nekohanten, even for the night, wasn't something he was willing to risk just yet. Ukyo's was a possibility, but he was afraid that she might take it the wrong way... as him making a choice. Shaking his head wearily, he held out his arms and Kasumi carefully passed Nyoko to him, with only a small bit of reluctance. He smiled softly down at Nyoko as she roused a bit, looked around, and snuggled more comfortably in his arms before going right back to sleep.

Nabiki grabbed up the small knapsack of Nyoko's things and the three of them silently stepped out of Kasumi's bedroom and into the hallway. Ranma hesitated only slightly as he passed the closed door to his former sleeping quarters, before releasing a silent sigh of remorse and moving on.

As the trio neared the bottom of the staircase, Akane stepped out to block their path, glaring up at Ranma. "Just where do you think you're going, Pervert?" she demanded, before noticing that Nabiki also had a small knapsack in hand. "And what have you done to my sister? How much did you say you'd pay her to take care of your little bastard? Or did you THREATEN her if she didn't help you with your worthless brat?" she growled, assuming a stance and preparing to rescue her sister.

"Akane!" Kasumi snapped, making her presence known, and jarring Akane out of her imminent attack. "Don't you DARE say such things about Nyoko! She isn't a bastard child, nor is she worthless, and you have no idea of how she came to be in Ranma's care!"

"Sure I do! He was seeing that gaijin whore the whole time he was stringing all of his 'fiancées' along and when he knocked her up with that brat she came looking for him and convinced him to marry her," Akane spat venomously. "Only after the brat was born she probably found out how much of a pervert and liar he really is, so she divorced him and kicked his ass out, forcing him to return here. Then she probably decided that it was genetic and rid herself of the brat as well."

Ranma could only stare at Akane in disbelief. How she could have twisted the facts in such a way, he had no idea. The fact remained, however, that he was no longer even willing to try to convince of her the truth. She never listened anyway. Shaking his head sadly, Ranma gently rocked Nyoko who'd been disturbed by the noise, and headed for the door.

Nabiki quickly stepped in front of her younger sister, when Akane made to stop Ranma from leaving, and glared at her with the icy-calm that had earned her the nickname of the 'Ice Queen'. "You're really a piece of work, Akane. Not only have you twisted the few facts you managed to acquire into something completely ludicrous, but also you managed to make them fit into your own little dream-world where Ranma's a lying, womanizing pervert and with yourself as the noble defender of all that is just and right. You and Kuno-baby truly deserve each other."

"He IS a lying, womanizing pervert!" Akane snarled and jabbed a finger in Nyoko's direction. "And the proof is right THERE! The Kami alone know how many other poor girls he's dishonored and gotten pregnant with his bastard offspring!"

**SLAP**

Akane's head had snapped to the side at the force of the blow to her cheek and, due to the unexpectedness of the blow, it took her a moment to reorient herself to turn and discover just who had struck her. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she found Kasumi standing there, scowling at her, and rubbing her now sore hand. "K-Kasumi?"

"I think we've all heard quite enough out of you, BABY Sister," Kasumi stated sternly. "If you had even bothered to ask any of us, instead of jumping to the wrong conclusions and making the facts fit those conclusions, we could have easily informed you of the truth and that Ranma is NOT related by blood to Nyoko. She is the LEGITIMATE daughter of a couple Ranma knew, now deceased and that Ranma intends to legally ADOPT. Nyoko's mother, as her DYING WISH, asked Ranma to raise Nyoko for them and he accepted that responsibility."

"But... that gaijin... after the wedding... she said she was pregnant... Ranma left with her..." Akane desperately stammered in her defense.

"That's the danger of eavesdropping, Akane," Nabiki stated coldly, as she and Kasumi donned their street shoes. "Especially when done from a distance and through a wall or something. You only hear PART of what's going on. Yes, Cousteau-san was pregnant, but Ranma was neither the father nor the man she intended to marry. She'd come here to make certain that Ranma would NOT seek her out for marriage, as arranged by his father. She was going to marry the man that had gotten her pregnant. And Ranma did not leave with her, as you would have known if you hadn't run off that night. He left on his training journey several hours after Cousteau-san had already gone."

"Where are you going, Kasumi?" Akane asked as her eldest sister moved to follow after Ranma.

"I find that I am need of a relaxing walk," Kasumi responded, without looking back. "You can prepare your own dinner this evening, as I think I'll eat out tonight."

"Same here," Nabiki agreed. "Really, Akane, I can't believe you at times. I told you that you were wrong in your conclusions about where Ranma had run off to after Cousteau-san's visit, as well as what Ranma had told me before he left. But did you listen to what I said? No."

"He lied to you," Akane accused. "And he's lied to Kasumi, turning you both against me. Why are you defending him?"

"I was there when Xeris, that's Nyoko's birth-mother, by the way, not Cousteau-san, DIED on our very doorstep after giving over her newborn daughter for Ranma to raise as his own," Nabiki stated coldly. "As for why I'm defending him... What should I do when someone I consider to be a friend is FALSELY accused and repeatedly insulted for things he hasn't done?"

"And since when was Ranma a 'friend' of yours, Nabiki?" Akane sneered.

"Unlike you, Akane, I don't reward being rescued by becoming jealous and envious of the skills of my rescuer," Nabiki stated. "Ranma rescued me from a bad situation and, no, I'm not going to tell you about it. Afterwards, I decided to find out just what made the 'Wild Horse of Nerima' tick and, in the process, found that I rather liked the person I was learning about. There's no doubt that he has a lot of rough edges, but there's far more beneath the surface that you've never bothered to even try and discover, Akane," Nabiki finished mysteriously.

"Oh, so you're wanting to be engaged to the perverted baka again, is that it?" Akane asked, disregarding everything Nabiki had just said. "Fine. He's all yours. Just don't come crawling back to me offering to sell the engagement. I'm not interested."

Nabiki just shook her head at Akane's utter stupidity; she and Soun were so much alike. Neither of the two had any control, at all, over their emotions and both lived in their own little worlds. Kasumi, also, often gave the impression of living in her own little world, but Nabiki knew from personal experience and careful observation that Kasumi was more aware of the world around her than she ever let on.

Ryouga, who had for once remained in the background listening in the hopes of gaining some useful information, finally stepped into view. He now knew where the baby had come from, if not exactly the reason Ranma-chan had been nursing said infant. And he also now understood why Akane had been in such a pissed-off mood. It was, yet again, another example of Akane jumping to the wrong conclusions and running with them, ignoring anything that might suggest that her conclusions were in error.

"Hello, Ryouga-kun," Nabiki said, taking note of his appearance. "I sincerely hope you're not here to issue Ranma a challenge of some kind. Now is not a good time and I would be extremely upset if you tried to force the issue."

"No, no," Ryouga vehemently shook his head in denial, cringing slightly under Nabiki's warning glare. "I, uh... I just needed Ranma's help getting home. My mother's going to be home soon and I haven't seen her in the longest time and... well, he knows where the house is..."

"I can walk you home, Ryouga-kun," Akane said, grabbing onto his arm. "I'm sure we can find it together. I remember most of the way there and I'm sure I'll remember more once we're in your neighborhood."

"Thanks, Akane, but... maybe another time," Ryouga said, shocking her by removing his arm from her grasp. "Ranma knows the way to my house and I also really need to talk to him about some other things along the way there." Ryouga looked over to Nabiki, hoping for a little charitable help in getting away from Akane without upsetting her further. To his immense relief, Nabiki's glare softened and she took his hand to lead him out to where the others were waiting.

"Oh my. Ryouga-kun, are you feeling better?" Kasumi asked, standing close beside Ranma as he cradled the baby in his arms.

"Yeah, Kasumi, much better," he responded, frowning slightly. Kasumi was standing unusually close to Ranma, even with the excuse of looking at the baby, almost pressing herself against him in fact. In the time since he'd last seen them, had Ranma somehow become intimate with Kasumi, as well as Nabiki? Sure, Ranma had indicated that he and Akane were on the verge of a major breakup, but was he stringing both of Akane's sisters along? They weren't fiancées, after all, despite that Akane had all but handed over her engagement to Ranma to Nabiki. What about Shampoo? Ukyo? Heck, even that nutcase, Kodachi? If Ranma wanted to 'relieve some stress', why couldn't he go to one of his other fiancées, instead of seducing the innocent and pure Kasumi with his vile and loathsome desires? Ryouga was jerked out of his thoughts as someone punched him in arm sufficiently hard enough to gain his attention. "What?" he growled out.

"I said, we have to stop by the Nekohanten for a while before I can take you home," Ranma repeated, turning about and beginning to walk off. "The Ol' Ghoul wanted to talk to me about Nyoko." Ranma had begun to worry as he'd noted Ryouga's temper rising, as Nabiki informed him of Ryouga's request for assistance to get home. Ryouga, nearly all of his rivals and such in fact, often attacked him without warning or apparent concern for innocent bystanders. That would have to change, if for no other reason than to ensure that Nyoko was never caught in the crossfire by accident. Ground rules for challenges and such would have to be laid out, explained to the concerned parties in question, and severe penalties established for violators. Ranma wasn't about to accept ANY excuse or supposed justification for an attack if it placed his daughter in jeopardy.

"Uh... sure," Ryouga nodded, wondering why Ranma's expression had turned so serious and... wrathful. "Mom's probably not even home yet. I just need to be there when she does show up. So there's no real rush."

"That's good, Ryouga-kun," Kasumi said taking his arm and leading him after Ranma and Nabiki. "So, tell me about your travels recently. Have seen anything interesting?"

Behind the departing teens, standing in the doorway to the Tendo home, Akane angrily fumed as she watched them all walking away, wondering how Ranma had managed to seemingly turn even Ryouga against her, just as he'd done with her sisters.

----

Ku Lon shook her head wearily as she watched her great-granddaughter moping about the cafe as if she had nothing left to live for. With the new addition to the Saotome family, even though the child wasn't a part of the Saotome bloodline, per se, she now possessed an even greater reason to ensure that the Saotome boy became a part of her family. A live 'werecheetah' and her son-in-law had one. Even among the Amazons, who prided themselves on their long history and detailed records of that history, true lycanthropes were considered as little more than exaggerated myths and legends, if not outright fabrications of the part of the ones who recorded the events wherein they supposedly played a role. But Ku Lon's family had kept their own records, recorded by the matriarch of the time, and any deceit or exaggeration was strictly prohibited. If the one recording the event in those books was not privy to certain information then that fact was noted, the writer was NOT to attempt to fabricate information she did not possess. Those histories were not recorded for the aggrandizement of the writer, nor for entertainment purposes, but for the needed transfer of crucial information from one matriarch to the next. And those very histories had stated, implicitly, that lycanthropes DID exist and went on to explain much more in regards to them.

Hearing yet another woeful sigh escape her great-granddaughter's lips, Ku Lon decided that it was time to inform Xian Pu of the new situation. "Xian Pu, quit moping about and come over here."

"Yes, Great-grandmother," Xian Pu responded half-heartedly, listlessly walking over to lean against the counter upon which Ku Lon was perched, none of her usual bubbly cheerfulness in evidence. Since leaving the Tendo-ke, Xian Pu had dwelled upon the blatant distrust her Airen had displayed toward her and Ku Lon, not even wanting them in the same room as his new daughter. _"What is it that you wish to talk about, Great-grandmother?"_ she asked in their native dialect.

_"You are to continue your pursuit of Ranma as your husband, after I've explained to him what his role is to be when caring for one of the Great Races,"_ Ku Lon instructed, responding in kind.

_"But, Great-grandmother, you saw how he reacted when you tried to go near the baby," _Xian Pu responded. _"He does not trust us to not bring harm to his child. He even trusts that mercenary Tendo girl, more than us... More than he trusts me..." _Xian Pu trailed off sorrowfully.

_"I know, child," _Ku Lon agreed, releasing her own sorrowful sigh. _"And sadly, I cannot blame Son-in-Law for that mistrust. I must apologize, Great-granddaughter. I've made far too many mistakes in our pursuit of your husband, given you less than wise advice and encouraged your pursuit in ways that did more harm than good. But, not all is lost, as of yet. You still have a chance to gain your husband's trust, even after all that has happened. If... you still wish to pursue him as your husband, that is? If not, I have been authorized by the Council to negotiate with him as a potential ally of the tribe."_

Xian Pu jerked upright at that comment as if slapped. _"What! But you couldn't have informed them yet of..." _Xian Pu paused, gathering her thoughts back into some semblance of order. _"What has happened, Great-grandmother, for them to give you such authorization?"_

_"Saffron,"_ Ku Lon simply stated, before explaining further. _"After Saffron was defeated, the Council of Elders came to the decision that Ranma was far too powerful to risk antagonizing further. It was agreed that you could continue your pursuit of him as your husband, but... no attempt was to be made to 'force' him to marry you or return to the village if you were successful. To that end, the 'Kiss of Death' and the 'Kiss of Marriage' no longer apply to Ranma. Not just in regards to you, but for all Amazons."_

_"Why was I not told of this sooner?" _Xian Pu asked, truly upset with her elder. Without the protection afforded her by the Kiss of Marriage and her pursuit of Ranma as her husband, she was once again subject to potential marriage to another not of her choosing. Most especially... _"Does Mu Tsu know of this?"_

_"No, he does not. Nor do I have any intention of so informing him. It is a matter of Council business and need only be discussed among those directly involved," _Ku Lon stated, smirking. _"I chose this time to inform you of their decision, because I intend to inform Ranma of his new status in our eyes when I see him next. All this truly means, child, is that you are no longer under any pressure to marry Ranma as soon as possible, and that you may now take all the time you need to earn his trust and love. Don't waste this chance, Xian Pu. Follow your heart and treat him as you would want to be treated, and you may yet gain him as your husband. At the very least, you could gain a lifelong friend and ally in times of need."_

_"And what of the other girls pursuing him? What of Nabiki Tendo? I am not so blind as to not see that she has already gained much of his trust and seeks even more," _Xian Pu stated.

_"Nor has it escaped my notice, child, that you have more than a passing interest in your own gender,"_ Ku Lon pointed out sagely, causing Xian Pu to balk and flush. _ "It is nothing to be ashamed of, child, and quite advantageous considering your choice of prospective mate. But, have you considered the possibility that Tendo-san may actually share your own tastes? If she does have intentions of acquiring Ranma for herself, do you think she would only have an interest for one part of the whole? Or, that she could not find you of equal interest?"_

Before Xian Pu could respond to her great-grandmother's thinly veiled comments, which weren't nearly as off the mark as some would believe, they were interrupted by the door chime signaling the arrival of patrons. Stepping through the entranceway came Ranma, the two elder Tendo sisters and the Hibiki boy. Xian Pu sighed longingly as she once again witnessed the trust her Airen had for the middle Tendo daughter as he passed his daughter into her arms, leaving himself free to deal with any perceived threats that might arise from the Amazons.

"Ol' Ghoul," Ranma began by way of greeting, watching her and Xian Pu warily. "I was told you wanted to talk."

"Of course, of course," Ku Lon responded, gesturing the group towards a convenient table. "About several things in fact." She knew that today's talk wouldn't be very long, and that the real meat of their discussion would take place once Theodore Diggers arrived, but that wouldn't be until the next day at the earliest. Despite her cordial demeanor, Ku Lon knew full well that this was one discussion that she dare not mess up, or she risked losing Ranma as a student altogether. While it was true that acquiring him into her family would be a major coupe due to his new 'werecheetah' daughter, Ranma himself stood to become yet another figure out of myth and legend... a Battlemage, an individual as skilled with the Magical Arts as they were in the Martial Arts. She was more than willing to share her student with the powerful Aura Mage, but she had no intentions of losing him altogether to another Art. It would be a crime of epic proportions and one that generations of future Amazons would be unlikely to ever forgive.

"So? What did you want to talk about?" Ranma asked, pulling out a chair from the table for Nabiki to sit upon, as Ryouga did the same for Kasumi, copying Ranma's surprising display of etiquette, before they took their own seats at the table. Again, Ryouga copied Ranma's actions, noting that he had shifted his chair about so that the table itself would not hinder him if he needed to move quickly.

"In just a moment, Son-in-... Ranma. First though, Xian Pu!" The purple-haired Amazon stepped forward. "Bring everyone a bowl of our House Special and our best tea."

"Yes, Great-grandmother," Xian Pu responded, as she looked longingly towards Nabiki holding the baby, her eyes moistening as she noted the distrustful look her Airen was giving her in return.

"Now, while we wait for the refreshments, could you tell me how you came to be that child's guardian?" Ku Lon asked, pulling out her pipe, but making no move to light it because of the baby's close proximity.

Ranma did so, leaving out a great deal, but getting the major points across.

"I see," Ku Lon stated once Ranma had finished. "Well then, the tale that I am about to weave for you is a legend that has been passed down through generations of Amazons, describing the Great Races that held the amazing power to take on the aspects of powerful beasts..."

"You mean like the Musk, correct?" Nabiki questioned, having heard of the fight between Herb and Ranma, and of how Herb, as well as his lackeys, Lime and Mint, had displayed more than a few animal-like traits in both their appearance and behavior.

Ku Lon chuckled and shook her head. "Please, child, the Musk Dynasty is a mere shadow of what the Great Races were like, seeking to emulate them by mixing their bloodlines with those of lesser creatures through the magic of Jusenkyo. No, the Great Races were far more than that. In fact, you're likely to be quite familiar with at least one of those races, seeing as they've become quite popular in the entertainment media in recent years, although little credence is given to their ever actually existing... werewolves."

"Lycanthropes," Ranma stated, surprising the Elder with his knowledge of the word.

"Correct. Although we Amazons choose to refer to them as the 'Great Races', of which there were at least five. Even to most Amazons the knowledge of the Great Races' existence has dwindled to little more than barely remembered myths and legends, as they were always highly selective to whom they revealed themselves." Ku Lon paused in her tale as Xian Pu rejoined them, distributing the bowls of ramen and tea, before carefully taking her own seat beside Ranma. She sighed forlornly as Ranma scooted his chair a bit closer to Nabiki, taking Nyoko from her so she could eat unhindered.

"Each of the Great Races had a unique gift, specific to their type," Ku Lon continued, once everyone had begun to enjoy the meal. "Werecheetahs were known for their exceptional speed, werewolves for their great strength, wererats for their uncanny stealth, weretigers for their tracking abilities and werejaguars for their exceptional hearing. While little else is remembered of their other abilities, we do know that they could change into other forms at will: a human-form, an animal-form of their type, and a mixture of the two."

Kasumi looked up from her bowl of ramen and tilted her head to the side in thought. "So, when Xeris came to our home... that was her mixed form?"

Ranma nodded as he shifted Nyoko into a better position so he could hold her and still eat, carefully. "Yes, that was her 'hybrid' form. Xeris told me once that it was the form they found most comfortable."

Ku Lon turned her gaze upon the Saotome youth and wondered just how much he really knew about Lycanthropes. He must have known the child's mother very well for her to have sought him out as she was dying. 'To think that the boy had lived among an entire village of Lycanthropes and wasn't bitten, even accidentally, is amazing,' she thought.

Xian Pu saw that Ranma was having a little difficulty trying to eat while holding the baby and tried to be helpful. "Airen want Xian Pu to hold baby while Airen eat, yes?" she asked, cursing herself for never bothering to improve her grasp of the Japanese language, only to receive suspicious looks from the Tendo sisters, as Ranma shifted his seat even closer to Nabiki.

"Um... Thanks just the same, Shampoo, but I'll be fine," Ranma responded, eliciting a sad frown from Xian Pu as she nodded in understanding.

"How much do you actually know about Nyoko's people, Ranma?" Nabiki asked, already knowing most of the answer. In the week since his return, she'd gathered from Ranma's roundabout way of explaining his trip that he'd actually spent most of his journey in the village of Nyoko's parents and had truly considered them good friends.

"Enough to know that Cologne's been accurate about their abilities, so far," Ranma replied, before turning back to Ku Lon. "What else do you know?"

"We know that they raise their offspring to use these forms to their advantage," Ku Lon stated. Then took a risk and stated a half-truth as fact, hoping to improve her chances of acquiring both Ranma and Nyoko into the tribe, by adding, "And that they were raised to be skilled warriors."

Ranma nodded thoughtfully as he recalled his talks with Xeris and Charon about their people and the way they lived. He knew that they had only recently called a halt to a long war with the werewolves and were hoping for a lasting peace to come about. However, their group had been led by an individual that, while also hoping for a lasting peace, planned for the possibility of betrayal. So while the majority of the werecheetahs had gone to the peace talks in Scotland, he had convinced a small group to remain behind and try to eke out an existence through the prolonged drought they'd been suffering under at their remote village. It wasn't until a few months before Ranma's arrival to their village that the drought had ended and their wells once again began to supply enough water for more than the hundred or so that had remained in the village. He did acknowledge that they were powerful fighters, but aside from their natural abilities, any acquired combative skills had been due to a matter of choice rather than any requirement. Still, if the Amazons had had any actual contact with lycanthropes in the past, it had most likely been with those that had been trained as warriors, as they were often the type most interested in travel and exploration. "I see," he eventually said. "And this is all that you know of them?"

"That and that we were to be most respectful of any that we should encounter, as they would make terrible enemies," Ku Lon replied.

"So... your 'laws' don't cover them?" Nabiki asked, scrambling to make sense of their earlier behavior in light of this.

"No more than anyone else," Ku Lon admitted. "As with most others, the majority of Amazons believe lycanthropes to be nothing more than myth and legend, stories to entertain children with."

"Then why have you stopped calling Ranma 'Son-in-Law'?" Kasumi asked before Nabiki could. "We assumed that Nyoko's heritage had something to do with that."

Ku Lon released a weary sigh and cast a sympathetic look towards her heir before responding. "Due to Ranma's defeat of Saffron... the Amazon Council of Elders has decided to void the Outsider Laws where he is concerned," she painfully admitted. "I would have informed you sooner, but you up and disappeared on that 'training trip' of yours. As you never consummated your marriage to my great-granddaughter... your marriage never happened. Nor can any other Amazon ever gain you as their spouse through the Outsider Laws, or force you into returning to our village against your will."

Ranma just sat there in disbelief for a moment, not quite certain of just how to take the news that Xian Pu was no longer his Amazon 'wife'. Looking over to see her reaction, he winced at seeing her bowed head, her long, lustrous hair concealing her face and even as he watched, he noted a teardrop fall.

"So what now?" Nabiki asked, still suspicious. "Are you intending to return to China?"

"Are you kidding?" Ku Lon cackled. "And give up all the excitement you children cause around here? Hardly. No, Xian Pu may no longer claim Ranma as her husband under Amazon Law, but that doesn't mean we're just going to pack up and go home. Besides, nothing says that she can't regain him as her husband in the future, only that she can no longer use the means that she's attempted in the past, which I might point out are those used on 'wayward' husbands... NOT potential ones."

"So, in other words, nothing's changed," Nabiki stated matter-of-factly. "She's still going to be after Ranma."

"If she wishes to do so, yes," Ku Lon acknowledged. "But without the pressures and restrictions our laws placed upon her previous actions. Now... she can pursue him for marriage with the same tactics and methods that you have been using so effectively, Tendo-san."

"Say what?" Ranma gasped.

"I have NOT been pursuing Ranma for marriage!" Nabiki stated vehemently. "We're just friends, that's all!"

"Yeah, right," Ryouga grunted.

"Quiet you!" Nabiki barked out, glaring at the Lost Boy.

"I never said that 'you' were pursuing him for 'marriage', child," Ku Lon chuckled. "Only that Xian Pu could do so, but by first becoming his friend, which you've just claimed success at achieving. You see, other than our laws concerning defeat by outsiders, even we Amazons know that friendship can often grow into love. And if not, then Xian Pu would still have a friend, as would Ranma. And you as well, if you'd like another friend, Tendo-san."

Nabiki snorted derisively, but made no other comment, as she didn't really have anything against Shampoo.

"Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" Ranma asked. "If not, I told Ryouga that I'd take him home to see his mother."

"As a matter of fact there is," Ku Lon answered. "You see, I arrived at the Dojo for an entirely different purpose, not having been made aware that you'd started your own little family, but then was sidetracked upon that discovery."

"So why did you come over there?"

"Well, I was rather curious as to when you began practicing magic, and from whom you were learning it?"

"WHAT!" Ryouga yelled, jumping to his feet and glaring at his rival. "Is that how you got into Nabiki's panties, you cast a spell on her? Have you done the same thing to Kasumi? What about Akane? I swear, if you've touched her, I--"

**WHACK CRASH**

"Quiet, boy! You're upsetting the baby!" Ku Lon ordered harshly, lowering her staff from sending the Lost Boy crashing into the wall, as Nyoko, awakened by the noise, wailed loudly before beginning to gnaw upon her fist.

Ranma almost began to growl at Ryouga, before taking notice that Nyoko was indicating that she was hungry again. He was beginning to think that was all she was going to do, sleep and eat. Oh yes, and soil her diapers, can't forget that. Kami, he'd never be able to forget that.

Nabiki, also noticing Nyoko's signal, held her arms out to Ranma. "Ranma, why don't you continue your discussion with Cologne and I'll take care of feeding Nyoko for you?"

"How much?" Ranma responded before he could catch himself and felt like a complete heel as he saw Nabiki wince.

"Let's just say you'll owe me one," Nabiki responded after a moment, then surprised them all by turning to address Xian Pu, who'd begun glaring at her after Ryouga's revelation. "Would you care to give me a hand, Shampoo? We could also have a little... chat, with just us girls."

"Nabs?" Ranma asked warily.

"It'll be okay, Ranma. If they were going to do anything at all, they'd have done it by now. Besides, I need to set a few things straight with Shampoo, thanks to the walking broadcast system."

"Okay, if you're sure..."

"I am," she said, turning back to face the others and indicating for Kasumi to join her and Xian Pu as they proceeded towards the kitchen area for some extra privacy. Nabiki paused, however, and turned back to address Ku Lon. "Elder... where's Mousse?"

"Locked up in his cage in his room," Ku Lon responded. "Mr. Part-Time was making a nuisance of himself, as usual, upon our return from the Dojo. Fear not, you will not be disturbed while tending to the child."

From where he was sitting, Ranma could easily see into the kitchen, and he kept a careful eye on the girls as Kasumi quickly prepared Nyoko's meal and Nabiki talked with Xian Pu. It was only when Xian Pu began undoing her top that he returned his attention to more immediate concerns, as Ryouga resumed his place at the table.

"One more stupid outburst like that one, Ryouga," Ranma warned, his voice low and serious, "and you can find your own damn way home!"

"Besides, boy, there's a large gap between 'practicing' magic and actually casting spells," Ku Lon added. "Although I am rather surprised that you, of all people, should be aware of how... intimate Ranma and Nabiki have become of late. I would have thought that they'd be more discrete about it."

"We were!" Ranma growled. "He stumbled up to me asking for directions when we... Never mind, it's none of your business anyway!"

"Not any longer, that's true," Ku Lon admitted. "Of course, it could become so again later on. You must admit, Ranma, that my great-granddaughter does have her charms."

Despite himself, Ranma's gaze involuntarily went back towards the kitchen area and... he got an eyeful of a topless Xian Pu holding the baby-bottle, while staring down in wonder as Nyoko suckled at her breast. Ku Lon was right, but Ranma would be damned if he'd give in to the old ghoul's obvious baiting of him.

"So," Ku Lon began once Ranma's attention was back with them, "who introduced you to that type of magic and how far have you progressed?"

"Nyoko's father, Charon," he responded. "He was a mage and thought that I might have a talent for magic. He also made me realize that I could either continue on as I have been, letting magic and those who use it influence my life to their own ends, or... I could learn magic myself and have at least some control over its influence. I might even be able to bring the Jusenkyo curse under control, eventually, if not get rid of it entirely. Charon even gave me some books to study, covering the basics of most types of magic. You probably sensed me experimenting a little with some of the things I've been learning."

"That I did," Ku Lon nodded. "If I'd known of your newfound interest, I would have offered to instruct you in Amazon Alchemy, as I've begun to do with Xian Pu. What you are apparently studying now, however, is a form of magic that I, sadly, am unable to perform or instruct you in. Any form of magic is inherently dangerous without proper instruction, Ranma. Not only to the one studying it, but also to those around him. So saying, I have taken the liberty of contacting an acquaintance of mine, a mage himself, that is highly skilled in the type of magic I sensed you playing around with. If he cannot instruct you, himself, then he can likely direct you to someone who can. With any luck at all, he should arrive here in the next day or so."

"I appreciate the help, Ol... Elder, but I'm not sure if I'll even still be in Tokyo by the time he arrives. I'm sure not going back to the Dojo, not with the tomboy as angry as she is," Ranma explained, rising to his feet as the girls returned to the table, Xian Pu smiling radiantly as she fed Nyoko from her bottle. He did notice that Xian Pu never took her eyes off Nyoko.

"So, you are no longer residing at the Dojo? Nor with your mother, I take it?" Ku Lon questioned, not greatly surprised by the news. "We have plenty of space here. And I'm certain that Xian Pu would be delighted to care for Nyoko while you're attending school."

"Airen no even need ask. Nyoko beautiful baby. It be Xian Pu's honor and pleasure to care for."

"I'm certain that Ranma will keep the offer in mind, Elder," Nabiki spoke up before Ranma said something stupid. The Amazons had been very accommodating, but Nabiki had no doubts that Ku Lon's plans to acquire Ranma, and now Nyoko as well, into her tribe remained intact. Only the methods of doing so had altered. "But we really must be going. We need to get Ryouga home to see his mother and I'll be helping Ranma in finding a new place to stay."

"Of course, child. The door is always open if ever you need a place to stay, Ranma," Ku Lon said, as the group rose to leave. Xian Pu was obviously reluctant to release Nyoko, but finally did so, transferring her gently into Kasumi's arms. As soon as the group had exited the cafe, Ku Lon turned to her great-granddaughter and hissed quietly, _"I want you to follow them and find out where Son-in-Law is staying, so that we can keep an eye on him and the baby."_

_"Great-grandmother, I'm not certain that is such a good idea--" _Xian Pu began, only to be interrupted.

_"This is no time to argue, child. Something happened to Son-in-Law while he was gone, which set him onto the path of studying the mystical arts. And I'll be damned if I let him slip through my fingers because we are incapable of instructing him. Your husband is already the greatest martial artist of his generation and stands to become even greater with his study of the mystical arts, but I will not take the risk of his forsaking one for the other,"_ Ku Lon stated seriously as she looked toward the door. She could not delay overmuch on reporting these new events to the Council and once her report arrived and was understood... Ranma may not have been subject to the Outsider Laws any longer, but that was no protection from acquiring him into the tribe through other means. The only reason Xian Pu had yet to receive competition for her Airen from other Amazon Warriors was because Ku Lon had managed to extract a six-month extension on Xian Pu's right to pursue him by other means without interference from others not already involved. Once that extension came to an end, though, and if Ranma was still available... _"You are running out of time, child. In a little over two months, if Ranma is not married, other warriors from the village will be free to pursue him as a husband. He may no longer be held to the Outsider Laws, but there are other ways of acquiring a husband. Unfortunately, I fear that the two elder Tendo sisters may already have his heart and he may be unwilling to leave them. Nabiki, at least, has most certainly been sharing his bed. If you are to have any chance at all, you must keep track of where he is staying and, at the very least, become friends with the two elder sisters."_

Xian Pu had not liked the revelation that her Airen had been having sexual relations with the mercenary Tendo sister, but the girl had confirmed the Lost Boy's accusations herself once they were in the kitchen area. She had gone on to explain that she was not seeking Xian Pu's Airen as her own husband, but that they had become friends and that she intended to look out for his best interests and those of Nyoko, as a friend. Xian Pu knew that her Airen had never truly trusted her, especially after the 'Kiss of Death' fiasco and all that she'd done since coming to Nerima, and her actions at the failed wedding certainly hadn't helped any. But if Nabiki, with all that she had done to Ranma, could regain enough of his trust to be considered a friend, not to mention share his bed, could Xian Pu not be able to do the same. Of course, her chances to do so would be even less if she didn't know where he was staying.

_"I will go, Great-grandmother, but I will make no real effort to conceal my presence from Ranma or the others. Being caught spying upon them, would be a poor start to gaining their trust... as friends,"_ Xian Pu finally stated.

-X-X-X-

A short train ride and a walk of several blocks brought the small group to the gate of the Hibiki residence. It appeared to be remarkably well maintained despite the Hibikis frequent prolonged absences, but Ryouga helpfully explained that his family paid a few of the neighbors to keep the place up for them. Stepping through the gate they were met by an exuberant Shirokuro, Ryouga's guide dog, who set about greeting her master home.

"Hey, Ryouga?" Ranma asked looking about the small yard. "What happened to Shirokuro's pups?"

"They were found good homes and adopted," Ryouga explained, frowning slightly as Shirokuro moved over to greet Ranma as if he too were a long absent Hibiki family member. This brought to mind the time Ranma pretended to be his little sister, Yoiko... Ryouga was beginning to work up a head of steam, when a nearby lawn sprinkler, set on a timer, suddenly started up and promptly activated his and Ranma's Jusenkyo curses. Surprisingly, neither of the Tendo sisters commented on the little black piglet that squirmed its way out of the clothes that had fallen atop it. Nabiki had known about Ryouga's curse, of course, but apparently so had Kasumi. Ryouga, or P-Chan as he was commonly known at the moment, let out a surprised "Bukui" as he was suddenly hoisted up by Ranma-chan who, after gathering up his discarded clothing, proceeded to lead the Tendo sisters into the Hibiki home, Shirokuro prancing along at her side.

"You know, Ryouga, this place isn't nearly as bad as I remember..." Ranma-chan started, looking about the interior of the house, before she was promptly bitten by said individual, followed by squeals and snorts of outrage as the black pig was flung into the living room. "Ite! What the hell was that for, Pork Butt! I ain't 'xactly got fond memories of the last time I was here, y'know! I still owe ya a good spankin' for the one ya gave me!" Ranma-chan growled heatedly.

"Now THAT is something I'd like to hear about," Nabiki spoke up, causing Ranma-chan to freeze up and blush in embarrassment, while Ryouga-buta snorted in amusement. Fortunately, Ranma-chan was saved, temporarily, from relating one of the most embarrassing moments of her life by Nyoko's sudden squeals, which drew everyone's attention to her. It seemed that she and Shirokuro had just made acquaintances with each other. Nyoko, held in Kasumi's arms, continued to squeal in delight as she extended her arms towards the equally curious canine. Ranma-chan held her breath as Kasumi knelt down and allowed the two to become better acquainted, only releasing said breath when it became apparent that Shirokuro was apparently well accustomed to the pawing and pulling of her ears by young children.

Feeling a nip at her heel, Ranma-chan jerked back, turning about to look down at Ryouga-buta, who began snorting and squealing and swinging his head towards the back of the house. "Okay, okay, I get the message," Ranma-chan responded, reaching down to pick up the porcine troublemaker and headed for the bathing room. "We'll get you changed back, sheesh. We can even hang around for a while and hopefully meet your mother."

It wasn't until she'd dropped a squealing P-Chan into the freshly filled furo, that Ranma-chan came to the realization that her growing 'intimacy' with Nabiki, and her experiences in Paris, had had some rather profound changes upon her. Looking over the nude form of Ryouga as he stood up in the furo, her gaze lingering on his crotch a bit longer than she would even admit to herself, Ranma-chan came to the realization that her thoughts at the moment had descended into decidedly sexual ones. What truly disturbed her, however, was that those thoughts, in regards to Ryouga no less, weren't disgusting her as much as they once would have. The memory of Kasumi's 'toy', and Nabiki's intentions of trying it out on her at some point, weren't helping her present thoughts either.

"Clean yourself up, Ryouga," she said as she quickly made for the exit. "Just call for Shirokuro when you're done."

Ryouga watched her leave, puzzled about what had caused her to flush in apparent embarrassment like that before pushing the thought aside. Grinning softly to himself, he sat down to enjoy a good long soak in his own furo for once... and he didn't have to share it with anyone. Least of all that jerk Ranma.

Outside in the hallway, a flushed Ranma-chan leaned back against the door and struggled to bring her thoughts under control. "I can't believe I was having thoughts of doing THAT with Ryouga," she muttered softly.

"Doing what with Ryouga?" Nabiki asked, coming down the hall and having obviously overheard Ranma-chan's mutterings.

"Nothing."

Nabiki was no one's fool, and after taking in Ranma-chan's still slightly flushed appearance, her obvious nervousness and that she was leaning against the door to what was apparently the furo, after taking P-Chan inside to be returned to human form...

"So," Nabiki began with a growing smirk, "thinking of making Ryouga one of your 'special' friends, Ranma-chan?"

"Damn it, Nabiki," Ranma-chan growled. "It's not funny. I'm a guy! Despite this body, I'm a guy! I shouldn't be thinkin' of other guys like that!"

Nabiki's smirk faded, replaced by concern and understanding.

"Ranma," she began, reaching out to touch the redhead's forehead, "you may be a guy up here, all the time. But that body is one-hundred-percent female, with all the hormones and instincts that come with it. The odds of your cursed form being a pure lesbian, on a genetic level, are likely too high to contemplate. So you're developing an interest in the male form, while in your girl body? So what? It does not mean that you have to act on those desires, or that you ever will." Nabiki's smirk then returned in force. "Just don't go losing your interest in me, in either form. Instead, look at this as an opportunity for us to become closer as friends."

"How's that?" Ranma-chan asked curiously.

"Well, considering my obvious interest in both of your forms, it's rather obvious that I'm more than a little bisexual in my tastes," Nabiki commented.

"Yeah... so?"

"So, do you have any idea how hard it is to find someone to go 'boy' watching AND 'girl' watching with?" Nabiki asked, huffing indignantly. "Being able to openly admire this or that boy's backside, but not being able to utter a word about that 'girl' over there being just as physically attractive?"

Ranma-chan knew that she was by no means an expert on how most societies operated, but she was quite familiar, thanks to her parents and Akane, on how people in general looked upon those with sexual interests in their own gender... not to mention those having an interest in BOTH genders. Ranma-chan grimaced as she realized that she was likely going to fall into the latter category... at least when female anyway.

"Must be pretty frustratin'," Ranma-chan commented.

"You can't imagine," Nabiki agreed, her smirk returning in force. "So... how big is he?"

"Huh?" Ranma-chan asked confused.

"Ryouga," Nabiki clarified, grinning lecherously. "How well endowed is he? Think he'd be any good in the sack?"

"Nabiki!" Ranma-chan whined/scolded and headed off the living room, blushing furiously.

"Aw, c'mon, Ranma," Nabiki whined as she followed after the petite redhead. "Enquiring minds want to know!"

----

A short time later, the four of them were once again gathered in the living room. Kasumi, after Ranma-chan had assured her that Ryouga wouldn't mind her making use of the kitchen, had prepared some tea for everyone and they were all enjoying a quiet moment in what had already been a hectic day. Kasumi and Nabiki were casually playing with Nyoko, while Ranma-chan and Ryouga were lounging together on the small couch.

"So," Ryouga began in a low growl, breaking the companionable silence that had held sway, "how long have you been using your 'magic' to get into girls' panties, Ranma? I know you have those two under some kind of spell, and Akane knows it too!"

Ranma-chan frowned, before turning and bopping him on the head. "Stuff it, P-Chan! I was kind enough to lead you home after that outburst of yours at Shampoo's; I don't want to have to kick you away from it just because you're too pig-headed to realize that I didn't do anything like that. And since when have you begun taking pointers from Kuno?"

"I am NOT taking 'pointers' from Kuno!" Ryouga growled, disgusted at the thought, but also realizing how much he'd sounded like the insane kendoist by accusing Ranma of using magic on others. Still... "But you admit that you're learning magic and you're just the type of guy that WOULD use it to get the girls to do whatever you wanted."

"Don't you mean that YOU'RE just the type?" Ranma-chan growled in return, her eyes narrowed. "I seem to recall several occasions in which YOU'VE attempted to use magic on Akane to get into HER panties..."

"I was NOT!" Ryouga snapped. "I was just trying to rescue her from YOU!"

"Yeah, right. Whatever," Ranma-chan snorted. "In any case, it's just like Cologne said, I've only just started to learn about magic. I can't even do the simplest of spells yet, let alone anything powerful enough to influence the actions of another person. Least of all, someone as strong-willed as Nabiki or Kasumi." Ranma-chan looked over to the Tendo sisters and smiled, seeing how much they were enjoying playing with Nyoko.

"Oh, so you're saying Akane is weak-willed, is that it? Akane's a wonderful woman and--"

"And what?" Ranma-chan snapped, cutting the Lost Boy off, irritated at him for once again twisting her words to suit his own perceptions of the world. "Sure, she's wonderful to you, nothing you do can ever be wrong. You saw how she was acting when I was leaving the Dojo. She was accusing me of sleeping with Nyoko's mother, among other women. And what were her accusations based on? I'll tell ya... her own insecurities of being a woman, her own distrust in guys, bits and pieces of an overheard conversation that she eavesdropped on, and her own pigheaded refusal to even consider that she might have reached a wrong conclusion." Ranma sighed wearily, pulling her legs up onto the couch and resting her chin upon her knees as she wrapped her arms about her legs. "No, it's over between Akane and me. So don't even talk to me about that violent tomboy. You want her, you can have her. After the things she said about Nyoko and, once again, so callously passing the engagement back over to Nabiki..."

Ryouga felt slightly ashamed at the thoughts he'd been harboring since they'd all left the Nekohanten. He'd known that Ranma had been having relationship problems with Akane, and he'd thrown it all back in Ranma's face with his knowledge of the intimate relationship Ranma was building with the middle Tendo sister. He chuckled internally at the absurdity of it all, wanting Akane to be free of Ranma, but then turning around and attempting to punish Ranma for doing exactly that, whether intentionally or not. He looked over at Nyoko and wondered what it would be like to be the father of a child himself. He certainly wouldn't stand for anyone saying anything bad about his own children, true or not, and desperately hoped that his Jusenkyo curse wouldn't become a dominant trait for his bloodline, as it would cause all kinds of pain and misery. The Hibiki directional curse was bad enough. Nyoko was certainly a cute baby and with those features, she didn't look anything at all like Ranma or Nabiki. And the only thing that would even suggest this 'Cousteau' woman, from the description he'd gotten from Akane, would be the blonde hair.

"I swear, Ranma," Nabiki muttered, sitting up and lifting Nyoko into her arms, turning to face the two on the couch. Not too surprisingly, Nyoko was once again gnawing on her fist. "She may not be your biological daughter, but I'd swear she had some Saotome genes in her ancestry somewhere. She certainly has your appetite." Both sisters giggled at the blushing redhead as Ranma-chan rose from the couch to see to her daughter's 'appetite'.

"Ha ha, very funny, Nabiki," Ranma-chan sighed, accepting Nyoko into her own arms as Nabiki held her up. Kasumi held out the knapsack containing Nyoko's things, but Ranma-chan hesitated as she reached for it. Looking back over to Ryouga, Ranma-chan decided to indulge in a little revenge, especially as from the feel of Nyoko's diaper she needed changing as well as feeding. "Ryouga-honey, would you be a dear and bring Nyoko's things into the kitchen for me?" she asked sweetly, not waiting for an answer before heading for the kitchen herself.

Ryouga blinked a few times, but finally rose from the couch to take the knapsack Kasumi held out to him and followed Ranma-chan into the kitchen. Nabiki and Kasumi exchanged glances at Ranma-chan's unusual behavior, but then both broke out in sinister grins as certain possibilities came to mind and they quietly followed after the two to see what mischief Ranma-chan intended.

A few moments later, a wild-eyed Ryouga rushed out of the kitchen, Nyoko's most recently soiled diaper in his hands and held as far away from his nose as he could get it, looking desperately about for somewhere to dispose of the biohazard-bomb he'd been handed before it exploded. Finally, in desperation, Ryouga simply rushed over to the front door, opened it, and threw the 'loaded' diaper as high and as far as he could, before bending over to rest his hands on his knees and begin taking in large gasps of much needed fresh air.

"Ryouga?" a puzzled feminine voice called.

"'Kaasan?"

----

Meanwhile, back in Nerima, a certain myopic duck had managed to make his escape from his confinement in the basement of the Nekohanten, return to human form, and was presently searching high and low for the love of his life. Despite the Amazon Matriarch's best intentions and thanks to the restaurant's ventilation ducting, Mu Tsu had managed to overhear parts of the conversations that had taken place in the dining area of the restaurant while he'd been confined.

The two main conclusions that Mu Tsu had drawn from what little he'd overheard were thus: First, Xian Pu was no longer married to Ranma Saotome and had never been married to him, which was much to Mu Tsu's liking. This first conclusion was, on the whole, correct. Second, Ranma Saotome was in the process of learning a type of magic the old mummy barely knew and, thanks to Ryouga's outburst, was intending to use this magical ability to enslave all the girls in his life into seeing to his perverse pleasures and had apparently already been successful in enslaving the middle Tendo daughter thereby getting her pregnant. This second conclusion was, needless to say, greatly in error, but it fit into Mu Tsu's worldview and did not challenge his personal beliefs so he was running with it.

It was this second, erroneous, conclusion that presently had Mu Tsu desperately searching all of Nerima for his beloved Xian Pu, frantic to find and protect her before Saotome could use his magic to enslave her to his will. The fact that Xian Pu was no longer present in Nerima was greatly hampering the young Amazon's search, however, and the fact that he'd been unable to locate Saotome or either of the two elder Tendo sisters only increased Mu Tsu's desperation and anxiety. So much so, in fact, that the young Amazon male finally turned to beseeching the Heavens for a sign as to where he could find his love and was promptly knocked ass over teakettle with a fully loaded soiled diaper to the face.

Whether or not this was an actual 'sign' from the gods would forever remain a mystery, as no deities ever stepped forward to take credit, but the end result was the same in any case. Instead of backtracking to where the offending and odorous projectile had originated and thereby, at least, ending up the general vicinity of the object of his desperate search... Mu Tsu rushed off to the nearest public bath, cursing Ranma Saotome, specifically, and the inconsiderate parents' of babies, in general, every step of the way there.

----

Atsuko Hibiki had never been accused of being a genius, but she was far from being considered unintelligent either. Still, she was a woman, a mother, and was well acquainted with the 'facts-of-life' and what those facts entailed, which included what a soiled diaper looked and smelled like. And her only son, whom she hadn't seen in over a year, had just hurled such an item off into the distance, which raised the question in her mind of just where her son had acquired a soiled diaper to begin with.

"'Kaasan?" Ryouga hesitantly called again, seeing his mother's gaze switch back and forth between himself and the general direction in which he'd hurled Nyoko's diaper, a small grin beginning to appear upon her broad face. It was the grin that was starting to make Ryouga Hibiki more than a little nervous, as it was the same one his mother always wore whenever she had the thoughts of him, girls, sex and grandchildren too closely together and interlinked.

Atsuko, meanwhile, had come to the realization that a freshly soiled diaper meant that there was a newborn baby nearby. Her son had been in possession of said diaper and had rushed out of their house; therefore, the baby must be inside the house. Her son would NOT have been in possession of such a diaper unless he had some kind of connection with the mother of said baby and shared some of the responsibility of caring for same. A year was more than enough time for her son to have met some girl and...

Ryouga paled as his mother's grin became manic.

"Uhm... 'Kaasan?" Ryouga tried again, but got no further as he was knocked to the ground by his mother's backpack, which she'd tossed to him before rushing into the house, giggling ecstatically.

----

"Oh, Kami," Nabiki chuckled from where she leaned against the kitchen wall, "that was hilarious. Ryouga's expression was priceless."

"He did seem rather... out of sorts, didn't he?" Kasumi added, a mirthful grin adorning her own face.

"Serves the baka right," Ranma-chan joined in with a grin as she finished securing a clean diaper about her daughter, before turning to check on the heating bottle of baby formula on the stove. "Even so, I thought his reaction was a bit extreme. I mean, he's the only guy I know who can actually 'eat' Akane's cooking and that often looks and smells worse than anything you'd find in a baby's diaper."

"Ranma!" Kasumi chided, softly. "That's not a nice thing to say. Even if it's true, you shouldn't say such things... aloud anyway."

"Sorry, Kasumi," Ranma-chan responded, securing the nipple to the baby bottle and, after checking that it was the correct temperature, undoing her blouse enough to expose one of her breasts. Lifting Nyoko into her arms, Ranma-chan applied a bit of the baby formula to her own exposed nipple before shifting her daughter closer, who promptly latched onto the nourishing morsel and began to nurse.

"Ranma, you really should try to coax her into accepting the bottle first," Nabiki said, smiling softly at the contented expression on Ranma-chan's face. "Otherwise, she'll always expect the 'real thing'."

"I know, Nabs," Ranma-chan sighed, smiling down at her suckling daughter, holding the baby bottle ready for when Nyoko became dissatisfied at obtaining nothing more than a taste of what she'd wanted. "But... this feels right. Natural. Even if she isn't actually getting anything out of me."

"Well, a woman's breasts are there for exactly that reason, Ranma," Kasumi supplied.

"Yeah, they're not just 'boy-magnets', after all," Nabiki chimed in.

"A 'breast-fed' baby is a happy baby!" a new voice added, causing the occupants of the kitchen to turn towards the entryway. Standing there was a woman who appeared to be in her late-thirties to early-forties, about Ryouga's height, with shoulder-length unruly black hair, the bangs of which were kept out of her expressive brown eyes with the application of a bright yellow bandanna tied about her head. She was a stout woman, without appearing fat or overly muscled, and fairly attractive with sun-bronzed skin and a reasonably good figure. Her clothing, which consisted of a sturdy work shirt, shorts and hiking boots all bore evidence of long use. While she didn't have a backpack with her, there was no doubt as to who this woman was as the Hibiki 'fangs' were clearly in evidence as she grinned broadly. This was clearly Ryouga's mother. "Breast-feeding also works wonders on the older men-folk, as well, dear. I'm sure my little Ryo-chan would enjoy it as much as that little one is," Atsuko added, before seeming to 'teleport' from the entryway to Ranma-chan's side, in the blink of an eye, to gaze adoringly down upon Nyoko.

"Huh?" Ranma-chan asked, confused at Mrs. Hibiki's comment. Then, gradually, understanding appeared in the redhead's widening eyes. "Now wait a--"

"Oh, come now, 'Ranko'," Nabiki interrupted, grinning mischievously and catching her sister's eye, before continuing. "Surely you wouldn't deny your 'husband' a taste of what his daughter so greatly enjoys?"

"Nabiki..." Ranma-chan began warningly.

"Oh my, yes," Kasumi jumped in on the fun. "Many of the other women I've talked to, who were lactating, are quite fond of relating how their own husbands tend to revert to almost baby-ish behavior when suckling from their breasts. You really should try it out with Ryouga-kun, Ranko."

"You too, Kasumi?" Ranma-chan asked plaintively, while Atsuko grinned broadly, her suspicions seemingly confirmed.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, dear," Atsuko said, giving her apparent 'daughter-in-law' a welcoming hug, being careful not to jostle her 'grandchild'. "I'm Ryo-chan's mother, Atsuko Hibiki. Welcome to the family, Daughter. You simply MUST tell me how you managed to get my son over his extreme shyness enough to produce that little cutie. I had to use about a pint of imported Jack Daniel's whiskey on Ryo-chan's father, myself. And what's my grandchild's name?"

Ranma-chan released a weary sigh. The last thing she wanted or needed were even more misunderstandings. "Nyoko. Her name's Nyoko," Ranma-chan said, coaxing her daughter onto the bottle of formula. "Hibiki-san, despite what you may think and despite what my friends are implying..."

"'Jack Daniel's'?" Nabiki asked, interrupting, one eyebrow arched in curiosity.

"Hmm? Oh, yes," Atsuko responded, still gazing adoringly upon the baby. "As Ranko-chan can likely tell you, the Hibiki men are a bit... high-strung and, initially at least, extremely shy when it comes to being... intimate with girls. I found that a liberal amount of Jack Daniel's whiskey got Ryo-chan's father over the worst of it. Enough so, at least, for us to have our little Ryo-chan. Akira's not nearly so shy about sexual matters any longer and I've long since learned quite a few... techniques, to deal with him being so high-strung and prolong our lovemaking for quite a while. I'm sure Ranko would find them most useful to... 'enhance' her own pleasure when being intimate with her husband."

Ranma-chan's interest had been piqued at the mention of 'techniques', as had the interest of Nabiki and Kasumi, although each had different reasons for being interested. But Ranma-chan rapidly lost much of her own interest when she realized that Atsuko was intending for 'her' to use them with Ryouga. Speaking of whom...

"'Kaasan?" Ryouga called, stepping into the entryway to the kitchen, his mother's backpack in hand.

"Ryo-chan," Atsuko chided her son, walking over to him and retrieving her backpack, "why didn't you write and tell me that you'd gotten married to such a beautiful young girl and started a family? Have you told your father? What about your baby sister, does she know about this? And have you seen her lately?"

"Baby sister?" Ryouga blinked, his eyes darting momentarily to Ranma-chan.

"Baby sister?" repeated Ranma-chan, also recalling the time she'd pretended to be Ryouga's little sister.

"You mean to tell me, that he hasn't even told you about his own family?" Atsuko asked, more than a little shocked. "Granted, Yoiko was born with more than her own share of the family directional curse, but that's no reason to forget about her and not even mention her to his own wife."

"Yoiko..." Ranma-chan began, disbelievingly.

"...Hibiki?" Nabiki finished, recalling what little she'd heard about the time Ranma-chan had pretended to be Ryouga's little sister. Coincidence seemed to be stretching a bit thin here.

Atsuko sighed wearily. "Yoiko is Ryo-chan's younger sister by two years. As I said, she inherited more than her fair share of the family curse, so even I haven't seen her in a couple of years," Atsuko said sadly. "The last time she was actually home, that I know of, was back when Ryo-chan was able to attend junior high for quite a while. I even remember how she'd developed this HUGE crush over that boy you were always fighting with back then, Ryo-chan. What was his name, Ranma or something like that wasn't it?" she asked. Unnoticed by the others, Atsuko's eyes darted briefly towards her supposed 'daughter-in-law', before she continued, "She'd only met him that one time, but had convinced herself that HE was the boy she'd eventually marry. She was still looking for him when I last saw her."

"This ringing any bells, Ranma?" Nabiki quietly whispered to the redhead.

"I... I think so," Ranma-chan replied just as quietly, struggling to remember the time she'd attended junior high school with Ryouga. Had she met a girl named 'Yoiko'? Ryouga's little sister? Is that why she assumed that name when she pretended to be Ryouga's sister? Vaguely, the image of a young girl with blonde hair and stunning green eyes came to mind.

"Hibiki-san..." Ranma-chan began, "does Yoiko have 'blonde' hair?"

"And bright green eyes," Atsuko added, nodding. "She inherited her looks from her grandmother, who was an American."

"I think I recall meeting her once," Ranma-chan admitted, looking towards Ryouga, "years ago. I can't believe you'd forget your own sister, Ryouga."

"Uhm..." Ryouga said nervously, reluctant to admit that he HAD forgotten. If it wasn't for his own mother saying that he DID have a little sister, he still wouldn't believe it. And yet, his mother's description did bring to mind images of a hyper little girl that had seemed to pester him endlessly to find out everything he knew about Ranma.

"Ryo-chan, I left some groceries out front," Atsuko announced. "If you'll bring them inside, I'm certain Ranko and I can prepare a pleasant dinner for us all in short order."

Ryouga didn't argue, finding the task a handy excuse to vacate the room full of women, he merely turned about and called for Shirokuro. He didn't actually need to be led to the front of the house, but once he stepped outside... it would be nice to be led BACK into the house.

"I can help with dinner, if you'd like," Kasumi offered.

"Nonsense, dear," Atsuko politely refused. "You're a guest in our home and friends of my daughter-in-law. Speaking of which, Ranko-dear, would you be kind enough to introduce me to them?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. Hibiki-san, this is Kasumi and Nabiki Tendo," she said indicating each in turn, "my friends. Kasumi, Nabiki, this is Atsuko Hibiki, Ryouga's mother."

"A pleasure to meet you both," Atsuko said, bowing to her guests.

"Hibiki-san," Ranma-chan said, getting the older woman's attention. "Despite what you've been led to believe, I am not your son's wife, nor is Nyoko his daughter. I'm sorry. I'm just a friend of Ryouga's. My name's Ranma Saotome."

"Oh, darn," Atsuko said, clearly disappointed, but not upset over the revelation. "I was so hoping he'd gotten over his shyness and started his own family." Atsuko then paused, looking Ranma-chan over carefully. "Hmm... I seem to remember another 'Ranma Saotome', but he was a boy? Jusenkyo?"

"Unfortunately," Ranma-chan sighed. "I take it Ryouga's told you about it?"

"The last time we met," Atsuko nodded. "I suspected that you were the Jusenkyo cursed boy he was going on and on about. You would have made such a lovely daughter-in-law, too."

Kasumi and Nabiki, both, expected to hear Ranma's usual denials about such a possibility and were suitably surprised when said denials didn't manifest.

"Thank you, Hibiki-san," Ranma-chan said politely. "But I'm not planning on marrying anyone, boy or girl, any time soon."

"What of the father of your child?" Atsuko asked. "Surely you don't intend to remain as an unwed mother? Or... are you actually the father?"

"It's a long story, Hibiki-san," Ranma-chan sighed.

"Well, seeing as I'm finally home, I certainly have the time to hear it," Atsuko stated with a grin. "And I've always enjoyed a good story."

And so, Ranma-chan once again related the story of how she'd come to be Nyoko's parent as they all went about the task of preparing that evening's dinner. Of course, this had led to the reasons for Ranma's 'training journey' to be explained and so on. In the end, with many additions and interruptions from the others, Ranma all but recounted her entire life's story. By the time she'd finished relating it all, it had grown quite late into the evening.

"Oh my, Nabiki and I really should be getting home," Kasumi stated, noting the lateness of the hour. "If we hurry, we should be able to catch the last..." Kasumi paused, remembering the reason they were at the Hibiki's to begin with. "Oh dear, where is Ranma-chan going to stay?"

"Don't worry about me, Kasumi," Ranma-chan spoke up, gently rocking a sleeping Nyoko. "I'll be okay. I've got my tent and other things, and there's a park just down the road I can stay the night in."

"I'll hear of no such thing!" Atsuko stated flatly. "If you are in need of a place to stay, then you may stay here. In fact, I suggest that you all stay for the night. It's much too late to be walking the streets at this hour, or riding the trains. We have plenty of room, after all. Kasumi and Nabiki can share Yoiko's room and, if you've no objections, you can sleep in Ryo-chan's room with him, or share my own room. But I will NOT allow you to take that baby out to sleep in some park when you don't have to."

Unable to adequately argue against such sentiments, and not all that willing to do so either, they all set about the task of preparing their rooms for the night.

-X-X-X-

Theodore Diggers watched his wife, Julia, as she strapped their children into their seats on the aircraft. This flight to Japan would be the longest trip they'd ever taken that didn't make use of his ability to teleport. It wasn't that he couldn't use the spell itself, but that he possessed no real familiarity with any location in Japan and without a clear mental image of the target location teleporting would be an unwarranted risk. If it had just been himself, he might have risked teleporting to save time, but he would never take such risks with his family. Taking his own seat and securing his seatbelt, he clasped his wife's hand gently within his own, once she'd taken her own seat. He wondered what news Ku Lon would have for him as he settled back into his seat, watching over his daughters, his biological daughter, Gina Babbette, and his adopted daughter, Britanny Elin.

Julia's own thoughts were in close harmony with her husband's, wondering what awaited them in the Land of the Rising Sun. "Theo, did Ku Lon say anything about what the surprise was?"

"No, dear," Theo said, shaking his head. "I was mentioning Britanny when she just stopped talking. Then she asked about her race." He rubbed the bridge of his nose to ease some of the tension he was feeling. "If this is what I think it is, we may have found a relative of Britanny's." Theo hoped that was the case.

The redheaded woman nodded in agreement, reaching over to calm Gina as the plane began to pull away from the terminal and move towards the runway. "I just hope this 'pupil' of hers won't ask for Britanny. I don't think I could give her up."

-X-X-X-

It was a little after midnight when Xian Pu-neko crawled through the slightly open window of Ryouga's bedroom. She'd followed the group to this house and had unobtrusively listened in on their conversations, waiting until they'd all gone to sleep before daring to enter the house itself, intending to check on the baby. Well, that's what she told herself anyway, but she still released a relieved sigh when she noted that her Airen was sleeping in the Lost Boy's room, rather than with the mercenary Tendo sister.

Jumping easily from the windowsill to the edge of the Pack-n-Play crib that had been set up in the room, she looked down upon the sleeping infant and released another sigh, this time of longing. Nyoko was such a beautiful baby and Xian Pu wanted more than anything to have one of her own, with Ranma as the father of said baby, naturally. Speaking of whom…

Turning about on the narrow lip of the crib, Xian Pu-neko eased into a comfortable sitting position, her tail dangling down into the crib to help maintain her balance. Ranma, still in girl-form, was sleeping in a futon beside the crib, and Xian Pu-neko took this opportunity to once again admire her Airen's beauty as she'd done many times since following him to Japan. She idly wondered how things might have gone differently if she'd given the petite redhead the 'Kiss of Sisterhood', instead of the 'Kiss of Death', on that day so long ago. Would Ranma have accepted a position within the tribe? Would they have become lovers by now? Xian Pu easily admitted now, if only to herself, that she'd allowed her injured pride to guide her actions on that day and that her actions had been in error. As had been many of her actions since, as well, she grudgingly admitted to herself. It was likely going to take a long time before her Airen trusted her enough to consider her as more than just an annoying acquaintance, but Xian Pu just couldn't imagine her life anymore without Ranma being a part of it.

**Yank**

Xian Pu-neko's eyes went wide, scrambling to maintain her position on the edge of the crib, as her tail was pulled on. It was a futile effort, however, her claws unable to gain a secure purchase on the aluminum tubing, as a second, harder, pull on her tail yanked her down into the crib with a soft thump. Righting herself, Xian Pu-neko hissed softly and turned about to face her assailant, prepared to give them a mauling that they would long remember... only to freeze upon seeing that it was Nyoko that had hold of her tail. Relaxing and sheathing her claws, Xian Pu-neko began batting gently against Nyoko's hands until she released her grip on her tail. Able to move now, Xian Pu-neko began purring softly, comfortingly, and began the task of trying to coax Nyoko back to sleep, nudging the child about with her head and paws.

"MeERK!" She had seen Nyoko beginning to reach for her and Xian Pu-neko had begun to gently dissuade the child. Then, in a surprising burst of unexpected speed, Xian Pu-neko found herself yanked down against Nyoko and held rather tightly with surprising strength. Try as she might, she just couldn't seem to get free of the baby's hold and she was more than a little unwilling to try harder as that would involved hurting Nyoko.

"So... I thought I saw you hanging around earlier."

"Mew?" Xian Pu-neko questioned, looking up to see a sleepy Ranma-chan peering over the edge of the crib. Immediately she tensed up and was about to begin shoving Nyoko further away when she noticed that Ranma-chan wasn't showing any of her usual fear reactions to the presence of a cat. "Miyah?" she questioned curiously, making a show of looking upon her own cat form and back up at her Airen.

Ranma-chan let out a sigh, one hand rising to brush through her hair. "No, I'm not afraid of you, or other cats, anymore. I'm not 'xactly cured of the Neko-ken, but... We'll talk about that later." Ranma-chan looked at the way Nyoko was nuzzling herself firmly against Xian Pu-neko's furry body and sighed softly. "Nyoko probably misses her mother's fur... something I can never give her..." She watched the two for a time, obviously in deep thought, before speaking again. "Look, Shampoo, promise me that you won't try anything... and I won't object to your being around Nyoko... or me. Okay?"

That didn't even require any thought on Xian Pu-neko's part, as she would never do anything that could harm a baby, and she wasn't about to do anything that could set her chances back of getting into her Airen's good graces again. Lifting her right forepaw, Xian Pu-neko let out a most solemn sounding, "Mew."

"Okay. We'll talk more in the morning," Ranma-chan said with a yawn, peering over her shoulder towards where Ryouga was softly snoring in his bed, dead to the world. Would she ever be able to sleep so heavily again, she wondered. Ever since Nyoko had come into her care, she had maintained a constant state of vigilance, even in her sleep, which was how the very soft 'thump' of Shampoo-neko's falling into the crib had woken her. Of course, with Ryouga's curse as a walking Blue Plate Special, that particular bed was likely the only place in the world that Ryouga felt he could truly relax his own guard. Ryouga had even, hesitantly, offered to let her use it, rather than the futon she was presently using, but she hadn't felt right about it, seeing as it was his bed and he so rarely got to use it himself. True, it was a rather 'sexist' offer, seeing that he'd probably only made it due to her being in her female form, but... he had made the offer, even knowing the truth of her real gender. At least he hadn't offered to 'share' the bed with her... she probably wouldn't have been able to get any sleep then, especially after her thoughts in the bathing room earlier that day.

Xian Pu-neko watched her Airen as she stared for an unusually long time at the sleeping Lost Boy, and she couldn't be certain due to her cat-form's lack of color vision, but it appeared as if her Airen may have blushed slightly for some reason before reclining back onto her futon and returning to sleep. Was there something going on between the two, she wondered worriedly. Her Airen was certainly spending a great deal of time in his cursed form lately, could it be affecting him? She, herself, had noted that her own cursed form tended to view other cats differently than she had before becoming cursed. She'd certainly never thought of finding this or that tom particularly 'handsome' until she'd been cursed, especially during those times when she was... fertile. It was one of her deepest, darkest secrets that she pursued Ranma so ruthlessly because she feared that she would eventually encounter a tom that she'd find exceptionally handsome and worthy enough for consideration... unless she were already 'mated'.

Pushing away such disturbing thoughts, Xian Pu-neko set about the task of making herself comfortable and getting some sleep. It wouldn't be the first time she'd sat 'baby watch', although it was the first time she'd done so as a cuddle toy, which fact she was strongly reminded of as Nyoko began sucking on one of her ears. It was going to be a long night, she sighed.

-X-X-X-

Endnotes: This is the first part of Chapter 04. Chapter 04-B will be out as soon as I can finish certian scenes.


	5. Discussions and Past Part 2

**WARNING:** While there will be no actual 'Lemon' content contained herein, adult situations, language, violence and acts of a sexual nature are strongly implied.

**Disclaimer:** The rights to 'Ranma 1/2' are owned by its creator, Rumiko Takahashi. The rights to 'Gold Digger' are owned by its creator, Fred Perry. The rights to characters from other sources, which are likely to make cameo appearances, are retained by their respective creators. This story is for entertainment purposes only and written without expectation of monetary or material profit.

**Notes:** While drawing primarily from the original 'Ranma 1/2' Manga series, some elements and characters from the 'Ranma 1/2' Anime series may also be utilized. This is BOTH a 'Continuation' and an 'Alternate Universe' fan-fiction in regards to the characters and events of 'Ranma 1/2' and 'Gold Digger', meaning: the characters WILL be 'Out-of-Character' to one extent or another and that canon events the reader is familiar with may or may not have been altered to a greater or lesser degree. This fan-fiction is also a 'Crossover', combining elements from the two aforementioned sources. For most of the story, we will attempt to adhere closely to canon, in regards to Fred Perry's 'Gold Digger' series, but at some point, events will diverge from canon and concessions will have to be made for the intermingling of the two base series.

**Timeframe:** Immediately following the failed wedding attempt at the end of the 'Ranma 1/2' Manga series; there are several months remaining until the end of the current school year at Furinkan High... ('Gold Digger' timeframe will become apparent when introduced into the story.)

-X-X-X-

Love of a Cheetah – Chapter 4 - Part B

-X-X-X-

As with the previous morning, Ranma-chan was awakened by the soft cries of Nyoko indicating that she needed a fresh diaper and nourishment. While this was a gentler means of waking up than being thrown out of a window and into a cold body of water, or having said cold water thrown on you as you slept, it too had its minor downside... namely why Nyoko needed a fresh diaper. After gently prying Nyoko away from Xian Pu-neko, who had also been awakened by her soft cries, Ranma-chan lifted her daughter out of her crib and set about the task of changing her diaper before heading down to the kitchen to prepare her bottle, Xian Pu-neko following along behind.

Stepping into the kitchen, Ranma-chan gently set Nyoko down on the floor where Xian Pu-neko promptly, and without being asked to do so, proceeded to keep Nyoko entertained by waving her tail as a lure and gently wrestling with her, but mainly keeping her in the same spot. Nyoko's squeals of joy and delight became a bit louder when Shirokuro trotted into the kitchen and decided to make the acquaintance of the apparently new housecat. Xian Pu-neko tensed, preparing to fight off the much larger canine if it proved dangerous to the baby, but Ranma-chan's casual greeting of it allayed that fear, only to have her previous fear for Nyoko's safety replaced with the fear of her own safety as Shirokuro proceeded to give her a thorough examination. As if the baby drool already matting her fur wasn't bad enough, Shirokuro had to add to it with her own drool with several, messy, welcoming licks, which elicited quiet giggles from Ranma-chan at Xian Pu-neko's blatantly annoyed expression at having her fur matted even further. Fortunately, it didn't take Shirokuro long to greet the new addition to the household before laying down on the floor beside Nyoko, forming a barricade on one side while Xian Pu-neko went back to keeping the baby occupied... with an occasional, seemingly, playful bat at Shirokuro's nose as she used the larger animal to play peek-a-boo with Nyoko.

As Ranma-chan prepared the bottle and baby formula, she decided to make a large breakfast in appreciation for the Hibikis allowing her and the others to stay the night. She'd just about gotten everything ready to start cooking when an inquisitive mew drew her attention back towards the three on the floor. Nyoko looked snug as a bug in a rug as she nestled between Shirokuro and Xian Pu-neko, once again having a firm hold on Xian Pu-neko's tail and sucking on it. Xian Pu-neko mewed inquiringly again, and made a show of looking over her current form.

"Hmm, you're wanting to know why I'm not afraid of cats anymore, is that it?" Ranma-chan asked, and received a nod in response. "Well," Ranma-chan began, preparing Nyoko's bottle as she talked, "the Neko-ken isn't exactly gone. While I was in the village with Xeris and Charon they were able to help me control my fear, by facing it and keeping me in one place."

"Mew?" Xian Pu-neko questioned, before turning to gently scold Nyoko for trying to bend her tail in a direction it wasn't designed to go and ended up being pulled into a hug.

Ranma-chan smiled sadly at the antics of the two as she tested the formula, before stepping over to separate the two so Nyoko could be fed. "It took them close to two months to help me gain control of the fear that set off the Neko-ken," she continued, finally getting Nyoko to release Xian Pu-neko, who looked in need of air, "and within that time I was shown different things and even had them stay in their hybrid forms for a while." Lifting her daughter into her arms, Ranma-chan exposed a bare breast and reached for Nyoko's bottle to apply some of the formula to her nipple. Before she could accomplish this task, however, Nyoko had latched on to the offering, suckling greedily. "My, you are hungry this morning, aren't you?" Ranma-chan chuckled, offering the bottle's nipple to her daughter. Not even getting a taste of her usual nourishment this time, Nyoko wasted little time in accepting the substitution... but she didn't look happy about it.

Xian Pu-neko, meanwhile, was wondering just what Ranma-chan had meant by 'control'. She'd said she'd gained control of her fear, but did that necessarily mean control of the Neko-ken itself? Xian Pu-neko recalled the way Ranma-chan's voice had taken on a feline growling quality back at the Dojo the day before and wondered if Ranma had simply exchanged one trigger for another, or if she'd behaved that way 'consciously'.

"Good morning," Atsuko greeted as she stepped into the kitchen wearing a white yukata. "I was wondering who was up and about so early, but I should have known."

"G'morning, Hibiki-san," Ranma-chan greeted in return. "I hope you don't mind, but I thought I'd make breakfast for everyone this morning as thanks for letting us stay the night."

"No thanks are necessary, dear," Atsuko said, looking over the various ingredients that Ranma-chan had set out. Then she took note of the new cat. "What have we here? I've never seen this cat before, is it yours? Or did it just wander in?"

"Um... Actually, that's Shampoo, another of Jusenkyo's many victims. She ended up staying the night as well... as Nyoko's bed-warmer," Ranma-chan chuckled.

"Well, that would certainly explain the condition of her fur," Atsuko chuckled reaching down to pet some of Xian Pu-neko's fur back into place. "And now that I know her name, I recall Ryo-chan mentioning a girl named 'Shampoo'. A Chinese 'Amazon'?" At Ranma-chan's nod, she continued, "Well, one more guest isn't a problem, especially in her present form. Still, I'm quite certain that she'd appreciate a good hot bath and to get cleaned up, which reminds me... I filled the furo for use, so why don't you all get cleaned up. And changed back. I'll take care of breakfast for everyone."

"Are you sure, Hibiki-san?" Ranma-chan asked. "I can easily make breakfast while holding Nyoko. And I wanted to make it in thanks for letting us all stay the night."

"Nonsense, dear," Atsuko gently scolded, ushering her out of the kitchen. "From what I've heard, you've helped my son on several occasions and I so rarely get to cook for so many people. Go enjoy a good long soak in the furo. I think I know what you were intending to make, judging from the ingredients you've set out, and I haven't had the opportunity to make it in quite some time. Now, shoo!"

----

While Ranma-chan had moved to the furo along with their other guest and Nyoko, the other guests had started to wake up. More specifically Kasumi, as she was normally up at that same time fixing breakfast and getting the house ready for her family. She lay in the bed, along with Nabiki that morning while contemplating what was occurring within her family. She knew that Akane was in the wrong, and that she was punished properly because of it. But how did it get to that point? She knew Akane was a good person at times, yet she was developing habits that would cause problems for her future.

_'And to think, Akane believed that Ranma had gotten Cousteau-san pregnant. I wonder if she really knew what Ranma was dealing with when he left on his trip?'_ Thoughts of what was discussed the night before, with the reasons why Ranma had left on his trip and the meeting of Xeris and Charon in their village in the Serengeti, made Kasumi think about all the times that she sat and discussed with the aquatransexual all the high and low points of his stay with the Tendos and the training trip that Genma seemed to have dragged him on. Hearing it from his perspective made it seem like he was abused and neglected. Hearing from his father's perspective made her think that Ranma was right. Still she didn't want to go against her father's wishes and helped maintained the pressure to keep Ranma with Akane, a bit reluctantly at first, but she did so nonetheless.

It wasn't until after the failed wedding that she realized that Akane and Ranma weren't ready for a relationship, and that they would need more time, in the first place, not pressured almost every other week to get married right then and there. However it just before Ranma left on his trip, she knew Nabiki had other ideas about the pair. Pleasurable ones that seemed to make Ranma all that more desirable. Sure she still held a torch for the chiropractor that seemed to dance with his model skeleton, but being with Ranma was looking just as well for the eldest Tendo sister.

As quietly as she could, she got up from the bed and made her way to where a set of yukata's were waiting for both of them. She would have to thank Atsuko for find something for both of them to wear while she cleaned their clothing. As she donned on the yukata, her younger sister awoke with the usual mess of bed hair that accompanied her whenever she slept in a bed, privately wondering if that was the same case while she had some of her nightly rendezvous with the maturing Saotome.

"Good morning Nabiki." Kasumi greeted her sister, only to receive a mumbled response back. Yes, Nabiki wouldn't be fully awake until her first cup of coffee, whatever reason that got her to use the nasty, tasting drink, she knew she would have to ask Atsuko if they had any available, and another reason to thank her for her hospitality.

Kasumi's thoughts about her younger sister were not far from the tree, as Nabiki scratched the back of her head while yawning to get what sleep she could out of her system before her craving for coffee kicked in. Hopefully not as bad as the times when she was brought home by Ranma after a long night of pleasure. _'Of course, we were there to beat the clocks so that we could get to school.'_ Nabiki commented to herself as she got out of bed, her normal grace seemed sluggish as she moved, picking up the offered yukata from her sister and putting it on.

Both Tendo sisters stepped out of their room that they slept in the night before, with Kasumi in the lead, as they headed towards the furo. "Nabiki? What do you think Ranma-kun will be doing after this?" This question brought the middle sister to be a bit more awake than before, as it actually gave her mind something to work on while they made their way to their destination.

"I don't know myself, Kasumi." Nabiki grunted quietly as she followed her older sister. "But I do know that after we get back home I'm going to look for the landlord that I had found for the apartment I was going to get while in college. Maybe give that to Ranma and help him work on getting an apartment." Kasumi slid the door open to the furo's changing room and both of them stripped out of their yukata's and hung them on the rack next to another yukata that was hanging there, "I do know that he wouldn't want to put the Hibiki's out for too long and may need this apartment more than I would."

As Kasumi slid the door open to enter the furo, Nabiki looked past her sister to see the site that would normally would have happened in their home. Sitting just outside the furo was a wet, and nude Ranma-chan that was washing a purple-haired cat, along with a giggling Nyoko as she sat in a small tub next to the redhead. Now this would have been an issue if Ranma had not gone on his trip. He probably would have been against the wall on the other side of the room to stay as far away from the cat. This, however, was not what Nabiki saw and she grabbed her older sister and pulled her away from the doorway so as not to get in the way of a berserker Ranma-chan. This caused both Ranma-chan and Xian Pu-neko to look up and notice the others.

"Oh.. Hey." Ranma-chan started, holding an upset Xian Pu-neko before she rinsed the cat clean, "I wasn't expecting anyone else to wake up before me."

"Ranma." Nabiki started, as Kasumi looked past the door herself to find out why her younger sister was trying to keep her away from the furo, "You do realize that you're holding a cat." Ranma-chan nodded in response to Nabiki's question, "And you're not going crazy like you did before?" While both Nabiki and Ranma had talked about his trip, he didn't say exactly what had happened and why he left. But Nabiki did have some general idea of why he was leaving.

Ranma-chan looked down at the purple-haired cat and noticed the scowl that appeared on her face. While Xian Pu was grateful that she was able to spend time with her Airen, she didn't enjoy the fact that she was cleaning her up in her Jusenkyo cursed form. "Do you remember when we were talking about me and Akane not getting married because of what you found out?"

"Yes. I remember Ranma."

"And how you explained that even if I did get married to Akane after we were of age, there might still be a problem because of the Neko-ken?" Once again, Nabiki nodded in response as she remember the conversation, "I found out that there was a scroll in Egypt that had been the original copy of the actual Neko-ken."

Nabiki's brows rose slightly before collapsing inward as she began to process what Ranma was telling her. She walked into the furo room itself, after a few minutes into the conversation. Kasumi followed just behind her and began to clean Nyoko so that Ranma-chan could wash up. Once Xian Pu-neko was released from being cleaned, she immediately took off towards the furo itself and jumped in. She didn't want to miss any of this conversation, but it would be better for her to be in her human form so she could make comments, or ask questions that the two Tendo sisters may not think about.

"So there is an actual scroll that contains the full Neko-ken in it?" Nabiki began, her face relaxed as she sat down next to the redhead.

Ranma-chan shook her head slightly as she took the small bucket and filled it with cold water, "It's not exactly the Neko-ken, from what I could find out about it."

"Then, what it is?" All three women turned towards the lavender Amazonian princess as she spoke up, "You say it not Neko-ken, but it is yes?" Once more, the bubbly Amazon cursed herself mentally for not reviewing and learning the Japanese language. She could read and write it just as well as a natural born citizen could; however her spoken words always made her sound unintelligent.

The redhead pondered for a moment how to explain what she found in Egypt, "Well it's more of a religious version of the Neko-ken. No pit of cats, and a lot of meditation." That was probably understating what she found, but it was the gist of it that she picked up. And it was probably an easier way of explaining it to them as they knew the bastardize version that she was first taught. "The Egyptians believed in many gods, and a couple of them were based on cats. Or cat-like features." she continued to explain, "And many of them wanted to become close to their gods or goddesses that they worshiped."

"It sounds like you found a lot more than just a quick fix to the Neko-ken." Nabiki interrupted, she also began cleaning up next to the redhead while they listened to what was being told to them. "Oh and could you wash my back for me?"

Ranma-chan nodded and lathered up a small bath towel she had with her, "Sure, Nabs." she took a moment to wash up herself as she continued her story, "I found a whole lot more than just the fix for it. It's actually how I found Charon and Xeris."

This caused all three women the raise their eyebrows. "So what did it contain Ranma-kun?" Kasumi spoke as she rinsed herself off of the soap she lathered onto her skin. Making sure Nyoko didn't fall or hurt herself while she washed up.

"It contained instructions of how to become closer like the lycanthropes. But they didn't know that's what they were." Ranma-chan looked at the two women that were next to her before she turned towards Nabiki. The middle sister's back was facing her and she began to wash Nabiki's back, knowing that her back would be washed after she was done. "They believed they were living versions of their gods and goddesses."

"You say Egyptians saw Great Race? Made talk talk with Great Race?"

"They didn't have discussions with them, Shampoo, but they did see them while they were hunting prey." Ranma-chan filled the bucket once more before pouring it over the lathered back of the older girl in front of her, "They saw what was a normal cheetah running towards a gazelle and just before it made the kill, the lycanthrope changed into their hybrid form to give them that extra leap." Once Nabiki was clean, she turned around and faced Xian Pu and Kasumi as she received the same treatment she gave. "So they developed a way to almost become like a lycanthrope but they could only get so far."

Kasumi picked up Nyoko and held her like she did back at the Tendo-ke before slipping into the warm waters of the furoba next to Xian Pu, who gently guided her to hold Nyoko just over her shoulder once she was settled properly. "So where did the pit of cats come from?" She looked at the redhead once more and focused on her.

"It was a wrong translation of the scroll."

All sets of eyes widened at the idea that the reason the Neko-ken was so destructive in it's ability to nearly kill the person was because of a simple translation mistake. "Woah, hold on." Nabiki leaned over Ranma-chan's shoulder to get a good look at her before her question came out, "So who's bright idea was it to think this was a martial arts technique?"

Ranma-chan gave a light shrug as she looked at her close friend from the corner of her eye, "Probably some martial artist who saw the translation notes of the archaeologists and thought it was a lost art from the Egyptians and tried to duplicate the steps that were translated." Nabiki leaned back slightly and finished washing the redhead's back, rinsing of the suds before getting up and slipping herself into the furoba with Kasumi and Xian Pu. The furo could easily hold four to five people comfortably and made the women look at Ranma-chan, wondering if she was going to get into the hot bath.

"Okay. So if the scroll was originally mistranslated, then what did you find that helped you locate Charon and Xeris?"

"The new translations told of a trading party in the southern areas of Egypt spotting this small pack of cheetah's. As a new animal they watched the pack for a few days before they saw the transformation. Just before the pack left, they saw that it was heading far south than they had ever explored and wrote it down." Ranma-chan got up and stepped into the furoba with the others, the change occurring from female to male with the hot water made the women smile. He ignored Xian Pu's hungry look, and Kasumi's passive one to settle next to Nabiki. "Another trading party found a village near the current city of Karungu in Kenya stating that they were around the cubs and adults of cheetah's so much that they were hybrids of their goddesses Bastet and Sekhmet. A warrior like mentality with a caring home life."

"And they thought being around cats would help them become closer to their goddesses?" Nabiki questioned as she noted that her sister was busy trying not to ogle the young man that was in the furoba with them.

"Yep." Ranma leaned back slightly to stretch his back muscles, keeping an eye on Nyoko with Kasumi. He was interrupted from his story when someone slid the furo door open and called out to the individuals that may have been inside.

"I'm home!" yelled the blonde hair, green-eyed teenager. She wore a dark green tank top with matching shorts and hiking boots, just like her mother. Across her forehead was a bandana that was spotted like her brother's. Across her shoulders and down her back was the famed Hibiki pack that was dropped just at the entrance she crossed, "Mom?" She turned around to look behind her into the rest of the house before turning to look into the furo itself and noticing the three women and one male that occupied the furoba. "Oh. Sorry I must have the wrong house..."

"Yoiko! You made it home." Atsuko grabbed her daughter from behind and gave her a hug that she treated her son with yesterday, getting the same gasp and blue-faced response. "I was so worried you wouldn't make it home after I last saw you."

"MOM!" The Hibiki daughter groaned out, it was one thing to be embarrassed by your parent in your own home, but in front of a cute boy that may have made her forget about the one she intended to marry would have made her die of embarrassment, "We have guests!"

"I know, sweetheart. In fact, go get cleaned up. Breakfast is almost ready." The matriarch of the household picked up the pack and gently pushed her daughter towards the occupants of the furo, shutting the outer door as she made her way to the kitchen.

This caused the youngest Hibiki to blush as she looked back towards the group, noticing for the first time the small baby upon the shoulder of the brunette. The young child gave a wide yawn and nuzzled closer to the woman's neck. Any further embarrassment was ignored as she moved closer to coo at the baby. "Aww. That's a cute baby."

Kasumi had the decency to smile towards the new individual as she continued her holding of Nyoko, very reluctant to give the baby up to someone she just met. However if Atsuko Hibiki could vouch that this was her daughter, and that Ranma was there as well, she could pass the baby along. "She is."

Yoiko, having figured that she might as well get cleaned up, looked towards the only male occupant of the furo and blushed heavily before turning around and getting undressed. Once she removed all of her clothing, and tossed them into the basket of clothing in the changing room, she walked over to a cupboard that she found a spare set of bathing supplies. "Who are the parents of that baby?"

The women in the furoba looked at each other, only to look at Ranma and what he would think of it. The Saotome heir was currently occupied with other thoughts as he tried to find a way to leave the furoba causing issues. Nabiki noticed the thoughtful look upon the raven-haired man and decided to answer for him, "He's her father. And both of her natural parents passed away several days ago."

"That's so sad!" responded Yoiko, rinsing off the soap that she lathered up and washed over her body. "And he's a very handsome father. If I wasn't all ready committed to finding my intended-to-be, I might try to take him myself." She gave the women in the furoba a smile, indicating that she was joking as she walked towards the furoba. Xian Pu and Kasumi moved around to give some extra space for the girl, while Nabiki jabbed her elbow into Ranma's side and move her head to point to Yoiko, asking him in a nonverbal response if she was another Fiancée that Genma forgot to mention to him. The pig-tailed man shook his head and everyone settled once Yoiko found a spot between Xian Pu and Ranma, "But that's only if I can find him." Yoiko finished before looking at the others, "Has he decided which one of you is going to be her new mommy?"

"Oh I don't think he's gotten to that point yet." Kasumi smiled to the younger girl, "This stud is too enamored with all of us that he can't decide which one to pick." She bowed slightly towards Yoiko as she continued, "I'm sorry, where are my manners. My name is Kasumi Tendo." she pointed to her sister, "My sister, Nabiki."

Xian Pu gave a slight bow herself as she picked up what Kasumi was hinting at, "Me Shampoo. Me Chinese Amazon from Jusendo." Yoiko gave a bow to the three women before turning towards the last stranger that needed to be introduced.

"And who might you be?"

Ranma decided that he'd been in the furoba long enough and got up, eliciting a gasp and hurried whisper from Kasumi to her sister which almost sounded like she was comparing something to what she saw, "It was nice meeting you, Yoiko." As he headed towards the door, he didn't spot the bar of soap that was lying on the floor until it was too late. It slid his foot out from under him and had him land on his back. His hand hit the rinse bucket that had just enough cold water in it to trigger the Jusenkyo curse and change him into the busty redhead.

Yoiko's eyes widened before she pointed to the redhead herself. "You!"

-X-X-X-

Laughter surrounded the table as the members of the Hibiki family and residences of the Tendo-ke were conversing about the redhead that sat at one end of the table, holding a sleeping Nyoko against her bosom. The redhead in question was blushing something awful as some of the conversation went from how Yoiko knew about the four foot five inch woman and what happened during her trip to Paris. It was easy to see why Ranma-chan wouldn't say anything about Yoiko to the two Tendo sisters, as they had never met her before. Especially since it wasn't under the best circumstances that both Yoiko and Ranma met under.

"So you ended up in a pile of bodies and the first one that you see happens to be Yoiko?" Nabiki snickered uncharacteristically as she glanced at the Saotome heir. "Was that before or after the wedding occurred?"

Ranma-chan grumbled quietly as she tried to remember the scene that Nabiki was referring to, "I think it was after. I wasn't really myself when it happened."

"You were just getting over your hangover." Yoiko provided, munching on a piece of fruit that she had pilfered from the middle of the table. "Everyone had at least two or three glasses of red wine or white champagne."

"Sounded like you were drunk like you were in that play with Akane." Nabiki grinned, ribbing Ranma-chan somewhat about her ability to down alcohol.

"Well you try to finish a full two liters of potent sake and not get drunk." Ranma-chan growled out, taking a quick bite as Yoiko looked over at the red-haired woman.

"So I have a question that's been bothering me." The blond leaned forward slightly, giving Ranma-chan a very pleasant view down her shirt, "You have a curse like my brother. So that means you're a guy." Ranma-chan gave a nod to the statement, "So who are you?"

"I'm Ranma Saotome." The redhead bowed before pouring a heated cup of water over her, enough to trigger the change and not get Nyoko wet. Ranma shifted the baby werecheetah in his arms for a better position during the change, "Sorry about this." What happened next would be recorded as one of the strongest versions of the Amazon glomp when Yoiko pounced on Ranma. This caused the other women to gasp as Ranma, Nyoko and Yoiko fell back and sighed in relief once they saw that Nyoko wasn't hurt in the asinine move made by the second youngest female there. But being jostled around did wake her up and caused her to cry out.

"Yoiko!" The four women yelled at the younger girl as she nuzzled Ranma.

"He's mine! I finally found him!" Yoiko cried happily as she held the Saotome heir down. She wasn't letting anyone take him away from her now. And they were going to get married as soon as she could and would all ready have a child to take care of… That stopped her train of thought from going past the line of no return. She jumped off of him and knelt next to the man where Nyoko was being held. "I'm so sorry!"

Ranma was carefully making sure that Nyoko was fine and before glaring at the young girl. Of course he couldn't really stay mad at her as she was giving him the puppy-eyed look. As long as Nyoko was fine, it could be dismissed for a while. He saw a slender hand reach out next to him and he grasped on to it before being pulled up by Kasumi and Xian Pu, who both had gotten up and stood next to the Saotome heir after he fell. Nabiki was also at his side, opening her arms for him to give Nyoko to her so he could be seated again. Nyoko was passed over to the middle Tendo sister and once she got the baby more comfortable, she turned and started humming and singing softly while rocking from side to side as she tried to sooth the crying baby. Ranma was finally able to turn to the youngest Hibiki with a frown marring his features. "Yoiko..."

"How could you do that to him while Ranma-kun was holding Nyoko. She could have been hurt, or worse. And you just jumped him like that without any thoughts or concerns about the baby!" Kasumi reamed into the Hibiki child. This shocked Xian Pu and Ranma as the first time hearing Kasumi actually voice her opinion very angrily to anyone. The youngest Hibiki looked up from her kneeling position at Kasumi and she calmed down. _'It wasn't really her fault. She had been looking for Ranma-kun for such a long time.'_ Kasumi saw that Yoiko was now currently chastised about her actions and was going to make amends because of it.

"I.. I'm sorry R..Ranma..." Yoiko stuttered as she looked up at him. "I.. I was j..just happy to.. be with you.."

"Well..." Ranma looked towards the Hibiki matriarch and gave a sigh as she indicated that he needed to talk to Yoiko, "It's not like you didn't mean it. But I can't have you jumping me when I'm holding Nyoko."

Xian Pu looked at her beloved and wondered why he was being nice to this younger girl. She wore Ranma's spare clothing that he had with him, including some panties for his female side that he wore on occasion while he was in his female form. "Airen. You make nice nice with Pig-boy's sister. You want more snuu-snuu friends like Mercenary girl?" This caused Xian Pu to frown somewhat at the thought. However she didn't see the reactions of both Ranma and Nabiki as their chins dropped. Kasumi was blushing heavily as she got what Xian Pu was saying.

"NO!" Both Nabiki and Ranma said forcefully to the Amazon, "Ranma all ready has enough snuu-snuu friends as it is." Nabiki grumbled quietly to herself as she headed towards Ryouga's room to pick up a blanket for Nyoko from Ranma's pack.

Atsuko gave a slight grin, "Maybe she just needs to be around Ranma and Nyoko for a while. Get her used to being with the baby." She rested a hand upon the Saotome heir's shoulder. She looked at her daughter for a moment as she contemplated the idea. "In fact, while you're here she can help you care for the baby today as long as you want to stay here."

"Hibiki-san, I really wont be here for long." Ranma stated, watching Nabiki before she left his sights. "I'm hoping if I find a place so that my parents wont find me."

"If you're adamant about it." Atsuko looked into the pig-tailed boy's eyes for a brief moment, seeing that he wouldn't be budged from his decision to take up too much time for the Hibiki's.

"My sister and I are actually going to be heading back to our home. Nabiki has a few things for Ranma-kun that will help him find a suitable living place." Kasumi stated, noticing the sad expressions that appeared on both Yoiko and Xian Pu.

"Shampoo must head back to Great Grandmother. Great Grandmother has friends come over. Shampoo need to meet with friends of tribe and tell Airen when they here." She frowned deeply while tugging on the Chinese silks that she borrowed. "Bring clothing back to Airen once Airen sees Great Grandmother's friends." She gave Ranma a quick hug before turning to Atsuko and bowing to her, "Many thanks for letting Shampoo stay." Atsuko bowed back at the formal gratitude given to her before the lavender Amazon left the table and headed back to the Nekohanten.

"And I'll be back to take Ranma to the apartment complex I found so he has a place to stay." Nabiki stated as she walked back into the dining room with a covered Nyoko. She stepped up to Ranma and handed the baby to him before kissing his cheek and whispering to him, "It shouldn't take me more than a few hours to get back here. Think you can handle yourself stud?" She subconsciously pinched his behind to make sure Ranma would remember who he was indebted to.

"I think I'll be fine, Nabs." He grinned at her playfulness that she brazenly displayed, knowing that she was marking her territory in front of the Hibiki's and her sister. "Just don't let my parents push on you too much."

"I wont, Ranma-kun." Nabiki kissed his cheek and bowed to Atsuko, along with Kasumi, "Thank you for the hospitality, Hibiki-san."

"Any friends of Ryouga-kun are welcome here." Atsuko smiled, waving to the two women as they left before looking towards her son's room, "Now if I can only get my son up so he can eat some breakfast, we can all sit together and tell stories of our travels and business."

"Business, Hibiki-san?" Ranma questioned before being handed a business card. "Hibiki Security Systems. If you see this card, call this number." He read out loud and looked back at the Hibiki matriarch. "So you break into businesses?"

"More like we arrive at the businesses without clearance." Atsuko smiled, bringing a cup of refilled tea to her lips, "If one of us Hibiki's can get into your building's high security systems and not be seen. We usually leave a card where we're at, so that they know that we were there." Her smile widened as she continued. "Lets just say that we're the fore most experts in getting in and out of businesses."

"That's very interesting, Hibiki-san." Ranma stated, feeling Yoiko sitting next to him and looking over his shoulder at Nyoko, "Please tell me more."

-X-X-X-

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Nabiki commented as she and Kasumi arrived home, standing before the gate of the Tendo-ke.

"Well, the house is still standing so I guess Akane didn't try to make breakfast," Kasumi responded, attempting to focus on the positive aspects.

"There is that," Nabiki agreed, before frowning. "Of course, that just means that Nodoka probably did so."

"I still can't believe that she would ignore her own son's promise to raise Nyoko himself and try to take her as her own daughter," Kasumi sighed disappointedly.

"Believe it, Oneechan," Nabiki grunted. "She may call Ranma her son, but she treats him and views him as her slave and property, something without rights, opinions, or feelings. Especially if they conflict with whatever SHE wants. Just like that worthless husband of hers, she only pays lip-service to the concept of honor. Honorable behavior is whatever gets her what she wants. Dishonorable behavior is whatever stands in her way of getting what she wants. Honor is a tool for the manipulation of others, nothing more, as far as she's concerned."

"This isn't going to be pretty... is it?" Kasumi asked sadly.

"Family arguments seldom are, Oneechan," Nabiki sighed. "And Ranma IS family! Marriage or not! Nodoka's problem is that she believes herself to be the head of the family and that she will ALWAYS be the head of the family, no matter what."

"And who is the head of Ranma's family, Imotochan," Kasumi asked, giving her younger sister a sidelong glance.

"Huh?" Nabiki asked, taken off guard by the question. "Well... Ranma, of course! Who else? There's just him and Nyoko."

"Who indeed, Imotochan?" Kasumi softly said to herself so Nabiki wouldn't hear, concealing a knowing smirk at Nabiki considering Ranma to be 'family' and seemingly unaware that would, by extension, make Nabiki a part of Ranma's family, as well. Then louder, she said, "Shall we go in?"

"Yeah," Nabiki grunted, pushing the gate open. "May as well get it over with." Nabiki then paused as she stepped through the gate, considering something that had occurred to her. "Kasumi... when we get inside, either go to the kitchen or your bedroom. Don't get involved."

Kasumi looked questioningly at her younger sister, but didn't comment as they entered the house.

----

As Nabiki had both expected and dreaded she found the other occupants of the household waiting on her when she stepped into the main room of the house, as Kasumi quietly made her way into her kitchen. There was her father at the head of the table, doing his best impression of a stern parent, with an obviously simmering Akane sitting to his left. On Soun's right sat Ranma's parents, both looking solemn and angry.

"Nabiki-chan," Soun began, stressing the 'chan' suffix in an obvious attempt to remind her of her comparatively young age, "have a seat, please. We have a serious matter to discuss with you."

Nabiki elected to forego any opening remarks until she determined exactly what they were to discuss, or rather, what they were about to attempt to force down her throat. The topic of the conversation, of course, was never in any doubt.

"Where were you and your sister last night?" Soun began. "It was extremely irresponsible and childish to stay out so late and not inform me, or your sister, as to where you were or what you were doing."

"Kasumi and I stayed the night at a friend's house," Nabiki began coolly, deliberately omitting who the 'friend' was or that Ranma had stayed at the same location. "And I did attempt to let you know that we wouldn't be home until this morning. Someone, however," and she looked directly at Akane, "hung up the phone as soon as I started talking."

Akane merely grunted, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head to one side.

"Be that as it may, I did not give you permission to stay out so late unescorted," Soun continued, ignoring Nabiki's comment.

"We weren't 'unescorted' and since when have Kasumi or I needed your permission for anything, so long as you weren't inconvenienced?" Nabiki shot back, silently daring him to continue on that approach.

"Where are my son and daughter?" Nodoka suddenly spoke up into the ensuing silence. "I wished to speak with Ranma further about legalizing his sister's adoption, but I was unable to find him last night."

Nabiki felt a fire ignite within her at the sheer gall the woman displayed at claiming Nyoko as her own 'daughter'. Still, she kept her anger in check... for now.

"I haven't seen Ranma since earlier this morning, so I couldn't tell you with any accuracy as to where he presently is," Nabiki stated coolly, which was true as Ranma could be anywhere within the Hibiki home at that moment. Then, suppressing a smirk, she added, "But I'm sure he'll be pleased to hear that you're finally seeing to giving his girl-half a legal identity by formally adopting her."

"You know EXACTLY to whom I was referring, young lady," Nodoka growled. "And it was most certainly NOT to that abomination my son is cursed to turn into! The sooner he's rid of it, the better!"

"That 'abomination', regardless of form or how 'she' came to be, is still your 'child'," Nabiki stated stonily. "She is NOT separate from him, NOT another person, she IS Ranma. And unless you've got a cure for Jusenkyo curses in your pocket, SHE'S going to be around for quite some time to come."

"Enough of this," Genma spoke up. "When is the boy getting back?"

"Beats me," Nabiki shrugged. "As far as I know, he has no intention of returning anytime soon, considering the way everyone was treating him and his daughter!"

"What do you mean by that?" Nodoka demanded.

"Ranma left yesterday, taking his daughter and his few meager possessions with him," Nabiki explained. "Apparently, he found your complete disregard for his own opinions, not to mention his honor, to be more than he could take. And your attempt to take HIS daughter as your own was the final straw."

"Nabiki, can't you see how much this is upsetting your sister?" Soun asked, trying a different approach, as he pointed toward a fuming Akane. He was certain that if Nabiki didn't actually know where Ranma was, she at least had a means of contacting him.

"Yes," Nabiki drawled, glancing at her sister, "I can clearly see how much she misses him. I wonder who she'll find to replace her favorite punching bag and food taster?" Nabiki looked pointedly at Genma who paled noticeably.

"The pervert can dry up and die for all I care!" Akane stated vehemently. 'He's probably out knocking up some other floozie even now,' she silently fumed.

"You see? Your sister's so distraught with worry for her fiancé that she doesn't even know what she's saying!" Soun continued, either ignoring or deliberately misinterpreting Akane's statement, in the pursuit of his own dreams. "Surely you can find the boy and convince him to come back! Then he and Akane can get married and raise the baby together!"

"That's right, Tendo!" Genma readily agreed, backing up his friend. "The boy should have done the honorable thing and married Akane as soon as he had that brat dumped on him. Oh, what could I have ever done to be cursed with such a dishonorable and disrespectful son?"

Nabiki had actually attempted to compile a list of the things Genma had done shortly after the Saotomes had arrived at her home. She'd had to abandon the attempt, as far too time consuming, though, as the list just seemed to continue growing as time went on.

"Daddy, really, Akane's wanted nothing to do with Ranma since the moment he arrived, and she's made no secret about the way she feels about him," Nabiki argued, hoping that somehow he'd finally see reason. "Honestly, how supportive of their marriage would you be if Ranma had treated Akane the way she's been treating him? Hitting her hard enough to kill a normal person at every imagined slight to his masculinity or his skills as a martial artist? How eager would you be for your daughter to marry a man that could one day KILL her in a fit of rage, intentionally or otherwise?"

"My son would NEVER do anything of the sort!" Nodoka stated flatly. "And I would strongly advise you against further slandering my son's reputation!"

Nabiki just looked at the woman as if she'd lost her mind.

"All I've done to Ranma is punish him when he's being an idiot or doing something perverted, Nabiki!" Akane defended herself and her actions, getting angrily to her feet. "If he doesn't want to be punished, then he should stop being an idiot and a pervert! And stop insulting me and embarrassing me in front of my friends and everyone else!" That said, Akane spun about and headed for the dojo intending to vent her frustrations on some defenseless cinder blocks.

"I can clearly see now why there has been so much friction between my son and Akane," Nodoka stated, glaring at Nabiki. "It is clear that you have been sabotaging their relationship from the start for your own twisted pleasures, filling my son's head with all kinds of nonsense, seducing him with your loose morals and wanton behavior, you've probably even used sex to bend him to your will." Nodoka stood, her ever-present silk-wrapped katana in hand, only now the wrapping had been loosened to expose the hilt of the weapon, and stepped closer to Nabiki. "Tell me, girl, just how far down the path of dishonor were you planning to take my son before you discarded him and sought out some other plaything? How far would your jealousy of your younger sister's good fortune in being engaged to my son have gone? You should be ashamed of yourself and your actions, seducing your own sister's intended simply because you're not woman enough to attract your own man."

Nabiki was furious, this woman was accusing her of being a dishonorable, backstabbing, slut and her own supposed father wasn't saying a word in her defense or that of his own family. Even further, Nodoka, a 'guest' in their home, was clearly threatening to use her blade against Nabiki, a daughter of her host in his own house. In days long past, such words and actions on Nodoka's part, true or not, would have earned her a very quick death.

Nabiki's voice, when she finally chose to speak, would have made liquid nitrogen seem warm in comparison, "Draw that blade in this house, where you are a 'guest', and you will prove beyond any doubt that you are utterly without the honor you so vehemently claim to hold above all else!"

"Nabiki... perhaps..." Soun hesitantly spoke, fearful of drawing attention in the tense atmosphere.

"Not a chance," Nabiki stated flatly, her cold, steady gaze never leaving Nodoka's own. "This woman has made claims in the past of being of Samurai descent, and of holding to the ways of Honor and Tradition. Yet today, she has accused me of dishonoring myself... my family... and of being no better than the lowest of common whores... in my own house! Where she is a GUEST! Don't you even DARE suggest that I back down, or does the Tendo family honor truly mean so little to you?"

"She is correct," Nodoka finally spoke after several tense moments. "My words and actions are unbecoming of one of my lineage. I humbly apologize, Tendo-sama!" It was clear to all, however, that she was NOT apologizing to Nabiki, but to Soun, her host, to whom she respectfully bowed before resuming her place beside her husband. It was also clear that she wasn't withdrawing her accusations, either.

"Um, yes, well... words in anger and all that..." Soun muttered, desperately trying to avoid any further confrontations. "Anyway... Nabiki? As your father, I want you to find Akane's fiancé and bring him back to the Dojo."

"And which fiancé would that be, Daddy?" Nabiki asked, her voice warming only slightly from its earlier chill tones. "To my knowledge, Akane doesn't presently have a fiancé, having once again passed her engagement to Ranma to me. Have you already arranged another engagement for her?"

"That isn't funny, girl," Genma said. "In any case, it doesn't matter. Until Soun and I say otherwise, the boy's Akane's fiancé, irregardless of her feelings. He is NOT your fiancé!"

"Quite right, Saotome," Soun agreed, sitting up straighter. "As far as the engagement is concerned, Akane is still Ranma's fiancée!"

"And what do you mean by that, Daddy?" Nabiki asked, already reasonably certain of his answer, but curious nonetheless. Not that whatever he said would have any real bearing of the facts of matter, as that had been decided on the day of Ranma's arrival to her home.

"He means, girl, that we've decided that Ranma and Akane will marry and they will do so once that ungrateful boy of mine returns," Genma answered for Soun, who nodded in agreement.

"Correct, Saotome. We made the decision to unite the schools and decided that Akane would be the wisest choice to marry Ranma. As the heir to our own school, Akane doesn't really have a choice in the matter," Soun finished, crossing his arms across his chest in a show of finality.

"Well, I'll agree that Akane never really had a choice, and Kasumi and I certainly didn't help by pushing her off onto Ranma," Nabiki said, making the fathers nod in approval, sensing that Nabiki might be coming around to their way of thinking. "Of course," Nabiki then continued, "there is the little matter of the fact that Saotome-san allowed you to choose which of us was to become engaged to Ranma on the day he arrived... and you passed that ability to choose on to Ranma. A choice he has yet to make, I might add, or surrender back to you! So, unless Ranma says otherwise, I have to work under the assumption that I am his fiancée, just as Akane's been forced to do. At least until he declares his own choice in the matter."

Soun and Genma's jaws dropped at that, while Nodoka looked between the two and wondered if they'd really been so stupid as to leave the choice up to Ranma. Their stupefied expressions was all the answer she needed, yes, they really were that stupid.

"B-b-but Nabiki..." Soun stammered desperately, trying yet again to get his daughter to see the logic and rightness of their decision, "can't you see that they were meant to be together?"

Nabiki merely snorted derisively as she rose from the table and headed out of the room. Just before she entered the hallway, she looked back over her shoulder at the so-called 'wise' adults. "Reality... it's a truly wonderful concept, and one I highly recommend you all look into, as it can make your lives so much easier." Parting shot delivered, Nabiki continued on her way to her room.

----

Kasumi stayed in the kitchen, as asked of her sister, and went about to make some tea for her and Nabiki when said sister stormed past the kitchen. Confused and concerned at what occurred in the tea room, she followed her younger sister to her room, "Nabiki?" She asked before entering. What she saw was almost unbelievable.

Nabiki, having picked up one of her overnight bags that she used when she went to her associates for one reason or another, was tossing clothing and items into the bag, as well as a suitcase that she kept. Kasumi watched before gently grabbing her sisters arm to stop her from continuing, "Nabiki. What happened?"

"That... That bitch!" Nabiki quietly whispered as she struggled to keep her emotions in check, "The utter gal of that woman." Anger was apparent, but something else had escaped her stoic mask that she kept in place. Fear. "She was that close. And in my own home!"

"Nabiki stop!" Kasumi said, shocking her sister out of her spoken rambles, "Who did what? And why are you packing?"

Nabiki's gaze settled on her older sister before pulling her sister into the room and shutting the door, "Don't tell me you didn't hear a word of what was said down there." With the resigned sigh, Kasumi gave her a nod and understood what she meant, "And I know that you heard what that woman said to me, and insinuated that I seduced Ranma to make him disobey her."

"But didn't you seduce Ranma anyway?" Kasumi questioned, trying to at least lighten the mood so that they could talk a bit better, without her younger sister going overboard.

"Seduced. Maybe. But not the way she's referring to." Nabiki began running her fingers through her hair as the stress became apparent, "She still wants to adopt Nyoko as her daughter and raise her like she wants to. And completely dismisses Ranma's female side."

"So you're going to leave? Take everything that you can with you and not help them find Ranma."

"You bet I won't." Nabiki almost growled out, "Not after the way she treated me, nor after the way she's been treating Ranma and Nyoko." Kasumi could almost hear the way Nabiki was almost insinuating that Nyoko was almost her child. Kasumi knew what her younger sister was feeling, and wondered if she would have that chance of her own.

"Then I'm coming with you." Kasumi responded as she started to stand, before being yanked back down on to the bed, she looked at Nabiki with a questioning look.

"Kasumi, I really need you to stay here." Nabiki suggested to her older sister, "I can't really go into details, but we need one of us here. And since I'm not wanted anymore, I should be the one to leave."

"But Imotochan, I can't let you do that by yourself." Kasumi started, before Nabiki reached over to her drawer and pulled out a small book, "If she's going to treat you..." Kasumi stopped her rant as she was handed the book, "What's this? Nabiki, this is no time for me to be reading a book."

"Please Oneechan, you need to stay here." Nabiki pleaded with her older sister, pushing the book into Kasumi's hands, "This is Momma's first diary. That should give you an explanation of why I need you to stay."

Kasumi looked at the book and held it gently, as if it was a treasured item, "You mean, this is Mother's?" Nabiki nodded as she continued to pack, "Where did you find it?" Kasumi asked before she opened up to the first page.

"Would you believe in the attic." Nabiki responded quietly, zipping up her overnight bag and closing the medium suitcase, "I think I have everything that I need. I really need to meet Ranma and plan on where to stay for the moment. At least until we can find someplace suitable for us to live in."

-X-X-X-

As Nabiki and Ranma-chan entered the hotel that they decided to stay at, until Nabiki could get the lease for the apartment, Ranma-chan began to put up the Pack-n-Play so that Nyoko would have a place to sleep that night. Nabiki continued to cradle the baby as she sat in one of the chairs before she picked up her cell phone. The hotel itself could have been an apartment all by itself. A galley kitchen adorn one wall, while the bed and open space in the room was more than enough for the two and Nyoko.

"Ranma, I can see if that landlord still has that apartment I told you about when you came back." Nabiki stated as she brought up her phone list on the cellphone. Nyoko was busy looking at the lights from the cellphone and attempted to grab it. Nabiki gave the baby a smile as she remembered a few of her babysitting experiences when she had to call someone while holding a baby in her arms.

"Sure Nabs." Ranma-chan sighed in frustration, "Just as long as I'm away from everyone back there." Once the Pack-n-Play was setup, Ranma-chan walked over to the bathroom and removed her clothing. A quick shower and some warm water reverted him back to his birth form. He stepped out of the bathroom a few minutes later, clad only in the bath towel, and to the main room, where an appreciative whistle caught his ears.

"Planning on just teasing me? Or were you going to use that right now?" Nabiki gave the young man a lecherous grin as her eyes traveled up and down his form. 'Is it just me, or does he always keep getting better and better to look at no matter if he dressed or not.' the thought flowed through Nabiki's mind while Ranma just gave her a grin of his own.

"If you're offering..." Ranma let the sentence hang before he noticed that Nabiki had begun to walk towards him. With Nyoko in her arms, he knew she wouldn't do anything that she normally did when she pulled him away from everyone for a little time for herself.

"That depends upon if my horse is ready for that long gallop again." Nabiki leaned over and gave the young man a kiss on his cheek before she put Nyoko down for her nap. It had been a long day for them yesterday and today was no different, "As long as we can keep it a quiet gallop, I think we can make it work."

That was enough incentive to let the martial artist prove to the middle Tendo sister that he could keep quiet during their session. It was her that he wondered about, "Of course. Your horse is always ready for a nice gallop along the country side." No further words were needed before he pulled her against his body for a longer kiss.

----

Nabiki rested herself on top of the pig-tailed martial artist, her arms laying just over his shoulders and behind his head. She knew that her 'stallion' could still perform the way she wanted him to, and he was always gentle with her. She gave a pleasant sigh of contentment while she rubbed her cheek against his chest, "You know, you're going to have to find a job now." Nabiki began their first bit of pillow talk of the late afternoon.

"Yeah. It's the only way I can help support Nyoko." Ranma began, his hands resting upon her back as he held her. He wouldn't ask for help from his parents, as that would give them the knowledge of where he would be living. He didn't have any contacts to help him get a job in Bunkyo-ku near the college that Nabiki was getting her degree from. The Kuno's would have been out of the question anyway, though he might meet up with the insane kendoist once in a while if what Nabiki told him was true, "I just don't know what job to do, and have someone take care of Nyoko."

"Aren't you forgetting that I'm staying with you?" Nabiki hand hit him in the back of his head, it wasn't much of a hit from the position they were laying in, but it served its purpose as Ranma nodded as he remembered what Nabiki told him, "I can't go back anyway with that bitch staying in my house and dumb and dumber trying to force me try and get you to come back."

Ranma's eyebrows rose at that last comment, not that his opinion of the three adults in the Tendo-ke were any higher than Nabiki's, but that she stated the house was hers, "Your house? Doesn't your pop own the title and land for the house?"

The middle sister snorted quietly as her hands slipped away from her current bedmate's head, gently pushing herself up so that she could talk to him a bit better, "That's all in Daddy's head." Nabiki began, her fingers making small circles upon the pig-tailed man's chest while thinking how to best put what happened to her early in life, "When Momma died, Daddy slowly became the emotional wreck you see today. And Mr. Takana realized that it may be soon that we would be out of the Tendo-ke if he didn't stop making all of his and Momma's students leave because of his outbursts." She felt Ranma's hands rest upon her hips while rubbing her lower back where he could reach, "So as I started to help Kasumi take care of the finances, Mr. Tanaka helped me with Momma's stocks, and when I became 12, he helped me become emancipated from Daddy. He taught me everything that he could with Momma's stocks."

"You mean Mr. Tanaka, who gets Soun for those council meetings?" Nabiki nodded to Ranma's question as he pulled the middle sister down once more, If she kept moving she would be given another ride that she may not be very coherent afterwards, "He was the one who taught me how to take care of Nyoko."

This didn't shock Nabiki, as much as it had Ranma when she told him about her experience with Mr. Tanaka. She assumed as well that he went to Mrs. Tanaka to buy all the baby things for Nyoko that was stacked in front of the Tendo-ke, "Yeah, he and Mrs. Tanaka have been there for me when Daddy wasn't." 

She listened to his heartbeat for a few moments before she continued to explain why the house wasn't in her fathers name, "It was only a few months ago, after you left, that I found my mother's will, which states that the Tendo-ke belongs to her and her daughters." Nabiki found herself closing her eyes as the rythum of the pigtailed man's heart started to lull her to sleep, knowing that this feeling she had wouldn't last much longer, "Momma named Kasumi and myself the owners of the house and property, I just got the confirmation letter from the bank that the deed and title have been transferred over to us. As well as Momma's bank account."

Ranma nodded, giving the girl a gentle hug as she laid there on his chest. He figured that there must have been something big in the will that was now upsetting Nabiki. And she would talk about it when she felt like it, "You found something of your mother's that is making you wonder about something." Nabiki gave him a quiet nod before he was silenced from asking any further questions by her kiss.

"Lets not talk about it right now. It's still too fresh in my mind." with that, their activities continued, making them both forget the day and their troubles, at least for now.

----

The two sweating individuals lay curled up against each other as they wound down from their most recent activities. Both were pleasantly surprised that Nyoko hadn't woken up while they were enjoying themselves. Nabiki looked up from her position to the pig-tailed man that seemed to be capturing her eye for a while. She knew he began trusting her more after he came back from his trip, yet she wondered what he talked about with Xeris that made her believe that both her and Kasumi were, '...just as beautiful... as you said they were.' 

"What seems to be on your mind, Nabs?" Ranma began as he felt her fingers gently strum to some beat that may have been playing in her head against his chest.

"Thinking about what you told your friend about us." Nabiki responded with honesty as she gently kissed the side of his neck, "We must have made an impression if she thought that Kasumi and I were beautiful as you told her."

Ranma gave a light chuckle as he rubbed the top of his head, while rubbing Nabiki's back as he thought of a response, "It wasn't much. She just kept asking about my life and you and Kasumi must have been brought up a few times. So she started asking about both of you." Ranma gently gave the middle sister a kiss on her forehead as they began to relax with their usual pillow talk, "So I told her what she wanted to know. I swear she must have been some cousin of yours because she seemed to get the information out of me like you do."

_'At least he's remembering the good times with his friend.'_ Nabiki smiled softly before she heard Nyoko start to wake up from her nap, _'That student was nice enough to be able to get us one of their hotel rooms with a small kitchen in it after hearing about the reason why.'_ She felt Ranma shift to get up and take care of Nyoko, before she pushed him back down, "I'll get her. We'll be living together because of what happened at the Tendo-ke." Nabiki said quietly before she slipped out of the bed and over to the crib, "And I don't mind taking care of her once in a while, do you?" She said over her shoulder, noticing that the pig-tailed man was watching her every step.

Of course he didn't mind in the least. Not the way her hips were moving in a hypnotizing fashion. How could he say no to that? "Of course, Nabs." He began to smile as the middle sister began to change Nyoko's soiled diaper and gently picked her up so she could be fed. He continued to watch Nabiki's nude form in a new light as she took care of Nyoko._ 'She's so happy taking care of her.'_ Ranma thought as he slowly got out of the bed himself. The pigtailed man left the middle sister to take care of Nyoko while he entered the bathroom. _'I wonder what happened to make her stop being a babysitter.'_

----

It wasn't long after both cleaned up and left the hotel to get in contact with the landlord Nabiki had spoken with after Ranma left on his training trip. Luckily the apartment she was looking at before was still available and they were told to go to the landlord directly to see if that was what they wanted. When they arrived, an older gentleman stepped away from the desk and bowed slightly to them, which they returned to him. Nabiki holding onto Nyoko as Ranma followed behind her.

"Thank you for stopping by again, Miss Tendo. Are you still interested in that apartment that we discussed?" Mr. Sahiku questioned. Nabiki nodded and he quietly moved back to his desk and opened a drawer, "I see you brought your boyfriend, will he be staying with you, along with your baby?"

This caused Ranma to sputter quietly as he tried to think of a response to that question, to deny that the baby was Nabiki's or that he was her boyfriend. Nabiki stopped him from speaking up before she spoke up herself, "Yes, both of them will. That apartment we looked at before should be big enough for the three of us."

"Yes yes. The apartment is still available and just needs a little cleaning up before we can let you stay in it." Mr. Sahiku quickly moved back behind the desk and picked up the contract that he had drawn up with the middle Tendo daughter, "There wasn't much of a change in the price that we agreed on, and we're still looking for someone to help with the maintenance and security of the place."

Ranma began thinking it over as Nabiki shifted Nyoko to his arms to sign the contract, "You said you were looking for someone to help with the maintenance?" This caused Nabiki to stop and look over at the pig-tailed man,wondering when he would have even picked up any maintenance skills along his training trip.

"And security too. What skills do you have sonny?" If the man knew Miss Tendo, she must have known about him and brought him along for just that reason. He'd seen people who hear of how much they were going to pay and if they could help out with services their rent would be lowered.

"I know enough to fix leaks and drain plugs for piping, and heating as well." Ranma began as he began to remember some of the temples and synagogues that he stayed at with his father. While many of the things that he was taught in their style, he also had to help clean and take care of the temple. Many of which included electrical, plumbing and other repair jobs that was needed, "Also I know how to fix electrical wiring and fuses and repair buildings with damaged roofs or walls." The last bits of repair work he got from the construction workers who helped rebuild the Tendo-ke when it became damaged.

"Are you good at security?" Mr. Sahiku looked up and down at Ranma, wondering what other 'skills' the young man possessed that could help around the apartment. Nabiki was also wondering why he never brought anything up about his repair abilities while staying at the Tendo-ke.

Ranma looked at the elderly gentleman before nodding, "Yeah, I'm a martial artist. I've been protecting her family for a few years." He stated, pointing to Nabiki as he shifted Nyoko in his arms. Nyoko quietly squealed and shifted closer to her adopted father.

Mr. Sahiku looked at the man once more as he held the baby, noticing how carefully and protecive he was of her. He gave a light smile as he reached one finger out to caress her cheek before giving the two a nod. "All right then. Miss Tendo, we'll have to work on changing your price." The negotiations commenced, and by the end of them Nabiki was able to get the apartment for a little more than half the rent that was originally suggested to her because of Ranma's hidden talents.

-X-X-X-

The Boeing - 767 jetliner landed in Tokyo's Narita International Airport, while it was common for some passengers to feel jet lag if they didn't sleep on the 10 hour flight, most of them were awake in the noon day sun. These people didn't include the adults of the Digger family. While little Brittany was still asleep in her stroller seat, Gina was awake as any two year old would be from taking her nap. Now Gina wasn't a hyper child, she was an inquisitive child. This isn't a bad thing, as it is good to have any child question everything around them, after a long flight across the Pacific Ocean, that would be a different story.

"Daddy, who are we going to meet?" While many would think that a two year old asking such a question would be a prodigy, the Diggers knew that it would be one of the many questions asked by their daughter. So they knew that if they gave Gina what they were going to do, most of her questions would be asked.

"We're going to meet an old friend who met someone that does some of the stuff Daddy does." Theo explained to his daughter. This did its job in giving the child all the information that she needed. Julia gave her oldest daughter a smile as she thought of what Gina would be doing with her life if she kept up her inquisitive attitude for the rest of her life.

"So they can do magic too?" This made Theo nod in response before the grinning child, "When can we see them?"

"Tomorrow sweetheart." Julia replied for her husband, "We need to get settled before we talk to her."

This calmed the child as they went though customs and stamped their passports. They picked up their luggage quickly and hailed a taxi to take them to a hotel in the Nerima district. This made the cab driver a bit frightened but agreed as they sped down the freeway towards the district's hotel section. It wasn't long after that they registered a room and called Ku Lon saying they arrived and to expect them to be there in the morning.

----

Ku Lon put the receiver down as she finished giving Theodore Diggers the instructions and address to the Nekohanten, while she knew that the flight was a long one for them, she would need to inform Ranma that they arrived. It was after the lunch rush hour that the call was received so she could have Xian Pu search for Ranma while she didn't need her, "Xian Pu. Go get Son-in-law and tell him the Diggers have arrived in Japan. He'll need to come here in the morning." Xian Pu looked at her great-grandmother before leaving the Nekohanten to do as she was told.

Xian Pu knew that she would have a bit of a problem finding Ranma, as he didn't tell her where he was going after he left the Hibiki residence. Still she was able to find him over in Japan when he beat her in the tournament while crossing China and the Sea of Japan, it shouldn't be too hard to find them in the metropolis of Tokyo now would it?

Once Xian Pu was out the door, Ku Lon went over and shut the door, turning the sign around to say that they were closed and would be back in half an hour. It would take that long just to contact her village about the current affairs and a week to respond. That long distance plan she invested in helped plenty when she was in dire need of assistance from the rest of the council.

"_Hello, Chinese Embassy.__"_

"_Yes, I'd like to leave a message for Perfume.__"_

----

Ukyo was not having a good day. While her Ran-chan had kept her future step-daughter away from her the day before, and didn't even acknowledge her while she was there, she was determined to at least get to play with little Nyoko. That was until she entered the Tendo-ke.

While seeing the two fathers passed out at the shogi table was part of the norm for the Tendo's. Seeing a disheveled Nodoka was a bit stranger. A passive Akane, however, left a lot to be desired. She noticed that Kasumi wasn't where the rest of the family was and Nabiki should be at school, of course she didn't know that today was Nabiki's day off, usually, from her classes. Her Ran-chan and future step-daughter were not there, as well as most of the baby things that were there had been moved or removed from the premises.

This didn't persuade the chef as she knew her Ran-chan would come back for the rest of the baby things that were still in the house, however she didn't know where he was or where he would go. She did have a few ideas and the Amazons would be talking to her weather they wanted to or not.

Turning about, the okonomiyaki chef headed to her next destination. The restaurant of her rival in more ways then one, the Nekohanten.

----

"So you're saying that he has a child?" spoke the quiet, feminine voice as she casually sat in seiza in the tatami room of her home.

"Yes, Mistress. The Saotome boy indeed has a child and is caring for it as we speak." the crack of a whip-like object hit the servant on his leg, causing a small line of red to appear. Nothing too damaging, but enough to give him the warning he deserved.

"You will not talk about my Ranma-sama that way, Sasuke." Kodachi Kuno sneered, "You will show him the respect that he's deserved.

"Yes, Mistress." Sasuke bowed down, hoping that one of the more insane Kuno family would forgive him for the mishap. It wasn't as if he didn't respect the Saotome heir, in fact he was very nice every time he found him and treated him to something more than what the Kunos would have. If he was dealing with Tatewake, his wording of his report would have gone unpunished.

"Continue with your report."

"Yes, Mistress." Sasuke sighed for a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing, "After a brief discussion with his mother, Ranma-sama left the compound with Tendo-san's elder sisters. Taking the baby as well as a few other baby items with him. They went to the Nekohanten and that was the last place I was able to track them before your brother called my services."

Kodachi frowned, knowing that her brother caused that little bit of information to be misplaced, "Did they say anything about the child at the Gaijin restaurant?"

"I was unable to find that information out Mistress. As I had to find a place to hide so that the older woman wouldn't find me like last time." Of course Sasuke could have told her about the discussion he heard while the women were in the kitchen taking care of the baby. But that might cause the daughter of Kuno to go on a rampage about Ranma being defiled by the middle sister.

"Then I want you to find where my Ranma-sama is. It has been several days since I last saw his personage, and I long for his arms to be around me." Kodachi laughed with her customary "Ooh Ho Ho Ho."

_'I seriously wish she would dismiss me before she started that laugh.'_ Sasuke frowned, then disappeared as Kodachi dismissed him.

"Soon, Ranma-sama, You and your child will be part of the Kuno family. And I will give you more children that will be as strong as you."

-X-X-X-

It was late in the evening, and Xian Pu-neko was exhausted. She found the room that Ranma and Nabiki were using in the hotel and wondered why they would leave the window open. At the moment it didn't matter to her because as soon as she entered the room, she spotted her errant husband of Amazon law, and what she saw she didn't enjoy.

Laying in the bed was Ranma, if anything that had transpired earlier that evening it showed as he was currently not wearing a shirt, from the way the covers were draped over his form it could have been anything. However that didn't add up to the fact that the middle Tendo sister was spooned against the pig-tailed man's chest, also not wearing any shirt as her shoulders were also showing. Both were in a deep sleep that made the purple-haired cat wonder if their activities were as pleasurable as she imagined them to be.

Quietly she moved from the window, the soft pads on her current form's feet made it possible, and jumped on to the bed before trying to nudge her way between the two on the bedsheets that covered them, which was stopped when a strong, calloused hand picked her up and placed her in front of Nabiki upon his chest. Xian Pu-neko looked up at the hand and then in to the stormwind blue eyes of the love of her life.

"Not tonight Shampoo," Ranma whispered quietly so that the middle sister could still sleep, "You can sleep here, or keep Nyoko company. But don't wake Nabs up."

This caused Xian Pu-neko to meow quietly before curling up in a tight circle next to the middle Tendo sister. She could tell them in the morning to meet the Diggers at Nekohanten. For now she was living one of her own dreams after she first saw how scared Ranma was of her Jusenkyo form, to be beside him no matter which form she was in.

-X-X-X-

Morning saw the Diggers family's arrival at the Nekohanten. While most tourists were 'unofficially' discouraged from visiting the Nerima Ward for their own safety, and the Diggers family did look like a normal gaijin family on holiday, they had been insistent on going there. Both wanted to meet this student of Ku Lon's and confirm their suspicions as to Ku Lon's 'surprise' in regards to him.

"Welcome to the Nekohanten," Ku Lon greeted cordially as the Diggers family stepped inside the restaurant. Jumping down from her perch on the kitchen counter, Ku Lon hopped over to them, her sharp eyes taking quick note of the 'spotted' blonde hair of the baby held in Julia's arms. "I once again stand in the presence of one of the Great Races... and she's just as cute as the other one." The Elder gave the family a warm smile and waved them over to a nearby table.

Ku Lon's comment brought questioning looks from the two adult Diggers as they sat down at the indicated table, little two-year-old Gina moving to sit in her father's lap. "So, you've actually found another werecheetah?" Theo asked, gently beginning to bounce his elder daughter on his knee.

"Of course. If I hadn't noticed that the child's hair was 'spotted', rather than just having darker-blonde 'streaks', I would have assumed that my student had dyed the child's hair," Ku Lon responded, having quickly retrieved a tea set and pouring them all steaming cups of the beverage before assuming her own place at the table.

"Child? You mean that your student isn't a werecheetah himself?" Julia questioned, eliciting a laugh from the old woman as Julia held little Britanny possessively against her bosom.

"Heavens no, child. If he was one of the Great Races I would have had my heir, and every other available young warrior of my tribe, bedding him regularly long ago." Ku Lon gave Julia an understanding smile, "And not to worry, my dear. I doubt that my student would wish for the greater responsibility of trying to raise TWO children, as he's likely having enough trouble handling the one he already possesses." This brought a sigh of relief from both of the adult Diggers, while Gina looked upon the Amazon Elder with widely curious eyes. "Well now, you certainly have grown, little one," Ku Lon addressed the child in Theo's lap. "Are you going to be a Warrior like your mother, or a Mage like your father, I wonder?"

Gina gave Ku Lon a big smile, before clapping her hands and piping up, "Like Daddy!" This lightened the mood even further as they enjoyed their tea and began catching up on what had occurred in each other's lives since they'd last met. Ku Lon entertained them with a few stories of her student's more humorous adventures, and Julia passed Britanny into Theo's lap so she could better act out some of her own tales of their more recent adventures.

"So Ku Lon, when can we expect to meet this astonishing student of yours?" Theo asked some time later, carefully adjusting the two children in his lap to keep them from falling. Gina, always fascinated by her younger sister, aided in this endeavor by hugging Britanny to herself.

"I sent my great-granddaughter out last night to tell them of your arrival, but she has yet to return. I can only assume that she chose to remain with him for the night." _'And hopefully becoming more than a friend if she remained through the night,_' Ku Lon thought privately. "They should be arriving at any time."

----

At that moment, said student was currently walking down the street towards the Nekohanten, Nyoko's knapsack upon his back, and sending an occasional worried glance in his companion's direction. Beside him, Nabiki quietly walked with Nyoko held securely in her arms and Xian Pu-neko perched upon one shoulder. And it was Nabiki's continued silence that was worrying him, especially after that morning's incident in the hotel shower.

"You know, Saotome, I thought you weren't interested in acquiring any other 'close' friends for a while? I mean, you haven't even done that kind of thing with me yet and I thought we were already very close friends," Nabiki suddenly stated, ending her prolonged silence, and watching Xian Pu-neko out of the corner of her eye, noting that cat's CAN look extremely embarrassed.

The 'incident' to which she was so obliquely referring, and that all of their minds turned to at the comment, had involved incredibly bad timing on Xian Pu-neko's part (or 'good' timing, depending on how one viewed it), an open bathroom door, Ranma's recalling of some of the previous night's more memorable moments with Nabiki as he was showering, and the discovery that Nyoko's baby oil had 'other' uses. Xian Pu-neko had entered the bathroom through the open door, jumped into the tub/shower through a gap in the curtain without really paying any attention to Ranma's activity, changed back to her human form, spun about on her bottom to face her Airen and... It had been Xian Pu's loud "AIYAH!" that had drawn Nabiki rushing into the bathroom to investigate. It had taken every ounce of control she'd possessed to keep a straight face at the scene that greeted her when she'd thrown the shower curtain aside... Ranma standing there embarrassed, equipment still in hand, and Xian Pu sitting in the tub before him, her expression one of wide-eyed disbelief, as Ranma's fluids... Well, Xian Pu definitely needed to wash up after that... and shampoo her hair. Nabiki had left the two with instructions to 'clean each other up' and then walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her, before rushing over to the bed and grabbing a pillow to smother the hysterical laughter that soon burst forth from her.

"I'm not! I didn't even know Shampoo was there until..." Ranma trailed off as his face flushed in embarrassment. Taking a few calming breaths, Ranma tried again, "I was just cleaning up before we headed out..."

"Is that what you were doing?" Nabiki teased. "Cleaning it rather well, weren't you?"

"Nabiki..." Ranma whined, as Xian Pu-neko began batting at Nabiki's head with her paws.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing," Nabiki chuckled, ducking her head down at Xian Pu-neko's assault. Then as Xian Pu-neko stopped batting at her, Nabiki added, "I just wish I'd had my camera out to catch Shampoo's expression. That was priceless!" Xian Pu-neko renewed her assault with even greater vigor, still refraining from using her claws... but only just. Xian Pu had NOT found the experience the least bit humorous, although bathing afterwards with her Airen had been quite enjoyable even if they hadn't had the time to do more than simply 'clean up'.

"In any case," Nabiki said after they'd walked a bit further and calmed down, "you can stop worrying, Ranma. I'm not my sister, I'm not jealous, and I'm not going to 'punish' you for what happened." She then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Just be sure to invite me to join in the next time you and Shampoo decide to have a little fun, okay? Just imagine all the fun things the THREE of us could do together."

Nabiki smirked to herself as she noted Ranma's eyes take on a glazed appearance, the smirk becoming a visible grin as she noted that Xian Pu-neko had also taken on a similar expression. Truthfully, after Ranma-chan's hot little body, Xian Pu's was next on the list of 'females' that Nabiki lusted after and with the threat of her dragging Ranma off back to her village no longer an issue... well, Nabiki wanted to explore her options a bit more thoroughly.

Feeling Nyoko shift about, Nabiki looked down upon the precious bundle in her arms and wondered if she would ever have a child of her own. While having only known Nyoko for a very short time, Nabiki recognized that her maternal instincts had kicked in with a vengeance and she was only a few steps away from never allowing herself to be parted from her. Nabiki had always possessed strong maternal and nurturing instincts, even more so than Kasumi, having an almost empathic ability with young children and delighted in their carefree laughter, which is why she had been so successful as a babysitter in the neighborhood. But then... Kuno had made his ridiculous and malicious accusations in the park where all could hear, while she was babysitting a young boy, and taken away the one joy in her life after her mother had died. That the accusations were completely untrue and had no basis in fact was irrelevant, as the results were the same irregardless of their validity, doubt had been thrown onto her suitability to properly care for the children of others and she'd lost the trust of many parents as a result. There's nothing more damaging to the reputation of anyone dealing with young children than being accused of being a pedophile. Just the accusation alone is sufficient to force an individual to find another line of endeavor that didn't involve children. And all because she had dared to spurn his advances towards her. She'd adopted her 'Ice Queen' persona, and alternate forms of earning extra income, shortly thereafter, and resolved to publicly humiliate Tatewaki Kuno at every opportunity.

Shaking her head slightly in an attempt to banish thoughts of the past, Nabiki returned her attention to Nyoko, savoring the feel of holding her. _'Could this be what Momma felt like when she was holding Kasumi? Or me?'_ she pondered. _'The overwhelming need to protect, love and nurture Nyoko, even though I wasn't the one to give birth to her? Has Ranma discovered this aspect of being a woman?'_ She glanced over at the pigtailed young man and smiled softly, remembering the way he, or rather 'she', had behaved when she'd thought the Amazons could be a threat to 'her baby'. Oh yes, Ranma had made the discovery, but did he consciously realize it? _'He's going to make a great father with the right person to help him,'_ she thought, not aware that her subconscious was already striving to place her into that role with little tweaks here and there in her conscious behavior.

"Well, we're here," Ranma needlessly announced as they stopped in front of the Nekohanten's entrance. He turned to look at Xian Pu-neko where she perched on Nabiki's shoulder and said, "I sure hope your grandmother isn't tryin' to pull a fast one, Shampoo..."

"Only one way to find out, Ranma," Nabiki said, motioning him inside and following after him.

"Okay, Ol' GhouUGH!" Ranma grunted, turning a glare upon Nabiki and lifting a hand to rub his offended ribs where Nabiki's elbow had jabbed him. "What was that for?"

"Because, Saotome, she has guests," Nabiki stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's ill-advised to insult one of your sensei in the presence of another you're hoping to get instruction from. Especially in her own home. I mean, he might think that you're more trouble than you're worth and refuse to teach you anything."

Ranma opened his mouth to give one of his standard replies and then closed it again as Nabiki arched an eyebrow, making it clear that she was more than ready to shoot down any flimsy verbal defense he might launch, thereby forcing him to 'think' about just 'what' he was actually going to say in reply. Fortunately, no one had to wait for the expected reply from Ranma, which could have taken awhile, as a yell erupted from the kitchen area.

"Ranma Saotome! You will die for trying to enslave my beloved Shampoo with your dark magic!"

This declaration, not surprisingly to any of the Nerima residents, had been issued by none other than Mu Tsu. What caught them all flat-footed, however, was that, despite the presence of visitors and very young children, Mu Tsu launched his usual assault of ridiculous amounts of lethal weaponry throughout the interior of the restaurant.

It should be noted that, when wearing his glasses, Mu Tsu was quite capable of exceptional accuracy with thrown weaponry. Unfortunately, at the moment, Mu Tsu's glasses were, as usual, perched on top of his head. What this meant was that Mu Tsu automatically fell back upon his usual means of attack when his target wasn't 'clear' in his vision... i.e. blanket the general vicinity with lethal weaponry and hope to hit something vital, or at least debilitating.

So, while the majority of his thrown weaponry was indeed concentrated in the general vicinity of his hated foe, Mu Tsu also sent plenty of bladed weaponry to the surrounding areas as well, including the area where Ku Lon and the Diggers family happened to presently occupy. Julia kicked the table they were seated at onto its side, so that it became a makeshift shield for Theo to duck behind with their infant children, but it wasn't adequately large enough to completely shield him from the sheer volume of weaponry Mu Tsu was casting about, such as the throwing spike that penetrated his right thigh among other minor injuries. Above him, Julia and Ku Lon worked in tandem to knock as many of the lethal projectiles from the air as they could and to shield the children and him even further.

Ranma hadn't been fortunate enough to be near any of the restaurant furnishings to grab as a shield and so placed himself directly between the incoming barrage and Nabiki, relying on his speed and dexterity alone to slap as many of the projectiles aside as he could. Unfortunately, as fast as he was, he couldn't easily slap everything aside and some of the projectiles Mu Tsu was hurling at him were of sufficient mass and inertia to force him to twist aside, exposing those he was trying to protect in order to shove aside said projectile.

Xian Pu-neko was crouched down upon an equally crouching Nabiki's shoulder, making herself as small a target as possible, when she caught sight of the approaching dagger. It was long, heavy and approaching fast as it ricocheted off the floor with plenty of momentum to remain lethal and it would likely strike her Airen in his leg. But then, Ranma was forced to twist about, changing his stance, and suddenly the dagger was on a direct course for Nyoko with nothing to hinder it. Without thought, Xian Pu-neko launched herself from Nabiki's shoulder, her hind-claws digging deeply into the girl's shoulder as she put everything she had into intercepting the dagger and knocking it off its present course. As it turned out, she'd pushed off with just a fraction too much force or a split-second too soon and Xian Pu-neko found herself in the dagger's path with virtually no time to react. Even as she twisted in midair to try striking at the dagger with her forepaws, she yowled in pain as she was skewered through the abdomen, a good portion of the dagger emerging from her back. Fortunately, due to Xian Pu-neko's inertia to one side, the dagger's course was altered sufficiently to miss striking Nyoko, although the outside of Nabiki's right upper arm received a deep slashing wound.

Nabiki had closed her eyes tightly as soon as the attack had begun, dropping down to her knees and making herself and Nyoko as small as possible, silently swearing a blue streak as she could hear weapons of all sorts striking the area around her. Mu Tsu was going to pay and pay dearly for this attack, she was personally going to see to it... if she survived. She gasped and clenched her teeth as she felt Xian Pu-neko's claws dig into shoulder and then flinched at Xian Pu-neko's pained yowl, crying out herself as a burning pain blossomed in her right arm, almost causing her to drop Nyoko.

Ranma spun about at the pained cries behind him, ignoring the impact of a shuriken embedding itself in his left shoulder, to drop down and cover Nabiki's body with his own, shielding her and his daughter with his own body from any further harm. Fortunately, he only received a few other minor injuries when the attack abruptly ceased. Ranma looked back over his shoulder to see that a red-haired woman had Mu Tsu pinned to the floor with a chair upon which she sat, her feet pinning his arms out to the side, while Ku Lon held one of Mu Tsu's own daggers to his throat looking more lividly enraged than Ranma had ever seen the Amazon Elder.

"You DARE launch an unprovoked attack upon an ALLY of the Tribe!" Ku Lon snarled. "Disrupt the dealings of an Elder during the course of her duties. Needlessly ENDANGER the lives of INVITED GUESTS of an Elder, and RECKLESSLY ENDANGER THE LIVES OF INFANT CHILDREN!!!"

Ranma could just see a drop of blood appearing at the point where Ku Lon's trembling hand held the dagger at Mu Tsu's throat.

"I should kill you right now and be done with it! And to hell with the bad blood it would create with the rest of your kin!" Ku Lon snarled. "Your mindless, unwanted, and unappreciated obsession with my great-granddaughter ends now!"

"Elder, please, no one was seriously injured..." Theo began, pulling the throwing spike from his thigh after ensuring that his daughters were unharmed.

Julia would have disputed that statement after noting the frightened look in her eldest child's eyes and was about to do just that when Gina spoke up and pointed towards the other family group. "Kitty's hurt!"

All eyes went towards the front of the restaurant where, as Ranma moved aside and began to worriedly examine Nabiki and Nyoko for injuries, Xian Pu-neko's small form could be seen lying upon the floor, a long-bladed dagger passing completely through her small body... and she didn't appear to be breathing.

"Goddess... no..." Ku Lon whispered, the dagger she'd held at Mu Tsu's throat dropping to the floor from her now unfeeling hand as she stared in horror.

-X-X-X-

Ukyo stood at her grill as she fixed up an okonomiyaki special for her current customer while her thoughts brooded upon what she learned from the Amazons the previous day. Of course she really couldn't trust them because they probably had him and her stepdaughter tucked away somewhere in their establishment. None the less, she would be getting in touch with Ranma as soon as she could find him. She finished the order and went about cleaning the grill when bell chimed of another customer. Konatsu, her waiter/waitress, greeted the customer and brought them over to the grill. As she looked up she saw who it actually was.

"I'm not here for food, unfortunately, but I do need to talk with you privately, Kuonji-san." Nodoka Saotome stated.

"Sure. Right this way." Ukyo said, finishing up the last order and passing it to her customer before directing the older woman to the back of her restaurant, "Konatsu? Would you mind watching the restaurant while I talk with Saotome-san?"

"Of course, Ukyo-sama." replied the quiet, male konichi.

-X-X-X-


End file.
